Mutual exchange

A mutual exchange is a home swap between two or more tenants, usually from councils or housing associations, who agree to swap homes with each other's consent. It must be approved by the landlords involved, including RHP.

If you've found another customer who'd like to swap homes, you’ll need to complete an application form.

• If they’re not an RHP customer: click here to complete this detailed application form. 
• For an RHP customer moving into a non-RHP home: click here to complete this application form.

You’ll need to include:

• Details of your household members.
• Details of the person wanting to move into your home.
• Information about your home: property type, floor level, number of rooms, garden, and whether there have been any adaptations, such as wet rooms or stairlifts.
• Current rent, including any arrears.

Information like your weekly rent, and the type of tenancy you have, can be found through your online account.

We aim to process your mutual exchange application within 42 days, but we’ll let you know if we need a little more time.

If your mutual exchange has been declined, we’ll write to you to explain why. An application may be declined because:

• A tenancy agreement has been breached.
• There are rent arrears.
• Antisocial behaviour has been recorded.
• An application has been withdrawn.
• The property isn’t suitable for a customer's needs.
• The other landlord declines their customer’s application.

Here are the next steps, once we’ve received an application:

• A property inspection is completed in the RHP property.
• A reference is requested from the other landlord, if the other household are not RHP customers.
• An electrical check is completed in the RHP property.
• If the other household aren’t RHP customers, RHP liaise with the other landlord to check they’re progressing the application.

Once you’ve received written confirmation that your mutual exchange has been approved, both parties will need come to our office in Teddington, to sign the paperwork. Once this is done, you can finalise a moving date

Your current tenancy type may not transfer with you. If you move to a property with a different kind of tenancy, your rights and security may change.

You do not automatically inherit the other tenant’s rights. You take on the tenancy type attached to the property you move into.

Common scenarios include: 

Secure Tenancy (usually local authority):

• if you swap into a home with an assured tenancy (typically housing association), you may lose your secure tenancy rights
• this could affect your succession rights, rent levels, and Right to Buy 

Assured Tenancy (usually housing association like RHP):

• If you move to another assured tenancy, most rights stay the same 
• However, you may still lose certain protections or benefits depending on the specific tenancy terms 

Rent and service charges will vary by landlord and property. 

Rent levels

• check whether the new rent is social rent, affordable rent, or intermediate rent. 
• ask whether the rent is subject to annual increases and how these are calculated 

Service charges

• these might be included in your rent or charged separately
• they can cover things like grounds maintenance, repairs, communal services or support services
• make sure you understand what you'll be paying for and how much 

Moving homes through mutual exchange could affect or remove your eligibility for purchasing your home.

Secure Tenants (Council):

• usually have the Right to Buy
• if you move into an assured tenancy with a housing association, you may lose this right. 

Assured Tenants (Housing Association):

• may have the Right to Acquire, depending on how long you’ve held the tenancy and other conditions
• if you move into a different home, you may need to restart the qualifying period, or you might not be eligible at all.

Always check with the new landlord whether the property is eligible for Right to Acquire and if your rights will carry over.

Before you agree to an exchange, consider the following: 

• confirm the type of tenancy you'll be moving into
• ask for a copy of the tenancy agreement in advance
• check the rent amount and any service charges
• ask whether the tenancy is fixed-term or lifetime
• confirm whether you will still have the Right to Buy or Acquire
• ensure the property is in good repair – you accept it as seen. 

Before you commit to an exchange, speak with your landlord or housing officer. You may also want to get independent advice from:

• Citizens Advice
• a housing legal adviser
• local housing aid centres