About HomeSwap

HomeSwap: our online service available on www.fifehousingregister.org.uk.

It allows you to register your own advert and search for an exchange online. We explain how HomeSwap works in the other sections below.

Public Register: allows you to view some mutual exchange adverts without signing up to our HomeSwap service.

All HomeSwap users are given the option of making their advert public. This means it can be seen by anyone who visits our website, but it won’t display the HomeSwap users personal details.

If someone viewing the advert wants to make contact they complete our online enquiry form giving their name, address and contact information, and details of their own property. We’ll email this to the Homeswap user who decides if they wish to reply.

Adverts can only be placed on the Public Register by approved HomeSwap users.

Mutual Exchange: when you’ve found a swap and you want to ask for the exchange to go ahead.

You and your exchanging tenant both need to complete a Mutual Exchange Application Form. The landlord(s) considers the application and approves if appropriate. Click here for more detailed information.

You can find an exchange in many different ways; through HomeSwap, by speaking to family, friends or neighbours, or through another online mutual exchange service. If you've already found your exchange you don't need to sign-up to HomeSwap but you must request the exchange through your landlord before you move.

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You can sign up for the service if you're a tenant with any of the following landlords:

• Fife Council
• Ark
• Blackwood Homes
• Dunedin Canmore
• Fife Housing Group
• Glen
• Hillcrest Homes
• Home Group
• Kingdom
• Link
• Ochil View
• Ore Valley
• Viewpoint

If your landlord isn’t included above you won't be able to sign-up, but you can view adverts on our Public Register. More information can be found here

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Is my Personal Information Displayed Online?

No, HomeSwap won’t display your name, door number, or contact information online.

Your first name and preferred contact information will only be shared when you and another tenant confirm interest in each other. These details will be shared by email and shown within the site following a mutual match, but only when you both confirm you want this to happen.

For more information on our Privacy Policy please click here

Updating Your Information

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You can help a friend or family member to create and manage their account/advert, but the account must be registered in the tenants name and address. They must be involved in discussing and deciding the suitability of any potential exchange. Any request to exchange properties must be made by the tenant.

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You can view some adverts on our Public Register, but not all tenants will place a public advert. If you can sign up, you should, as this may increase your chances of finding an exchange.

The Public Register can be found here.

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To register for HomeSwap:

• You need an email address - this is used to communicate with you
• You must be a named tenant of the property
• Make sure all your contact details are correct, and kept up to date, as they’ll be shared when you have a successful match

When you create your account we’ll send you a link to confirm and validate your email address.

You can create and submit your advert without validating, but you need to have your advert approved and you need to complete the email validation process before you can access the full HomeSwap service.

Our first email to you might get directed into your junk folder so keep an eye on this, and mark us as a safe sender to avoid missing out on future updates or notifications.

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When you create your account we’ll send you a link to confirm your email address.

You can submit your advert without completing the validation process, but once you’re approved you’ll need to confirm validation before you can access the service.

The link in our approval email can also be used to validate your email address.

Our first email to you might get directed into your junk folder so keep an eye on this, and mark us as a safe sender to avoid missing out on future updates or notifications.

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To create your HomeSwap advert:

• Select  My Advert
• Enter your postcode and select your address - some of your property information may populate
• Check the information is correct and fill in any missing fields
• You can improve your advert by describing your home
• Use the  I’m Looking For  section to explain what you’re  hoping to swap into

 
Approval

• Your advert will be passed to your landlord for approval
• You won’t be able to access the  HomeSwap  service until  you're  approved
• Your landlord may correct property details on your behalf, they’ll also add your rental charge
• Approvals may take up to 5 working days

We’ll email you when you’re approved, so keep an eye on your inbox.  If you don’t receive anything check your email junk folder and mark  us  as a  safe  sender  to make sure you don’t miss  any  future  notifications.  

The link we send in  our approval email can be used to validate your email  account.

Remember, approval to join  HomeSwap  doesn’t mean a request to exchange properties will automatically be granted. You must request permission from your landlord before you swap homes by submitting a Mutual Exchange application. Do not exchange properties without  receiving written  consent from your landlord. More information on requesting an exchange can be found here

Adverts won’t be approved if: 

• You’re not a tenant of the property 
• You don’t have Scottish Secure Tenancy 
• You’re  not a tenant of a  HomeSwap  landlord 

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Photos can help advertise your property and you can add/delete these at any time. Your photos will only be seen by HomeSwap users, unless you opt for the Public Register.

For your personal safety and the privacy of others you must make sure:

• You don’t include yourself, any other person, or neighbouring properties in your photos
• You don’t display your door number, or any vehicle registration plates
• You keep anything personal out of shot, for example family photos, letters, or anything showing your personal information

All photos will be sent to your landlord for approval before being displayed online. Photos will not be approved if they do not follow our guidelines above.

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You can use this to limit unwanted interest.

You should only use this if you’re certain you wouldn’t consider particular aspects or attributes of a property.

If a user's property has an attribute you won’t consider, they won't be able to show interest to you.

Remember, you need to be realistic with your preferences. If you’re too restrictive you may not find an exchange.

If you find you are matched to properties that you are not interested in, you should update what you won't accept to reduce those that appear on your match list. See compatibility

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You can save your preferences here, or by using the save option on the browsing page.

The weekly email opt in is in here too, choose to opt in and we'll send you weekly updates when new properties join that match your preferences.

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You’ll find this in the What I’m Looking For section.

Confirm you want to opt in and we’ll let you know if new properties are added that match with your preferences.

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Once approved you can amend your written descriptions: ‘About my home’ and ‘I’m Looking For’. Access My Advert to update these. You can also opt in or opt out of the public register by updating your preference, and you can add or remove photos too.

If anything else e.g. property type, number of rooms, heating type, are incorrect please contact your landlord.

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When you’re approved you can browse properties in the site.

Compatibility: shows you how well your own property matches the preferences of other users. The higher the score, the better the match. If no score is shown, the user hasn’t told us their preferences yet.

Each property attribute has a score associated with it:

Area 25%, Property type 25%, Bedrooms 25%, Landlord 10%, Garden 5%, Adaptations 5%, Heating 5%

If you only enter a preference against one or two attributes, we'll assume you're open to considering everything else that hasn't been restricted.

If 0% is shown against an advert, the user won’t consider exchanging with you, and you won’t be able to show interest (see What I won't accept for more information).

Display Matches: you can choose which level of compatible matches you see, and how you want your results to be displayed.

Using the search filter: use this to find exactly what you’re looking for.

Use the ‘Save your Preferences’ option to store these against your account, and we can work out your compatibility against others on the site.

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You can mark any property as a favourite by selecting ‘Add to favourites’. The advert will be displayed in ‘My favourites’.

If you wish to contact the tenant, you must Show Interest.

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Showing Interest: If you see a property you're interested in, select Show Interest. By selecting Confirm, an email will be sent to the other user to let them know.

The advert will be included in your ‘Properties I’m Interested In’ section

If you change your mind you can remove your interest by selecting Remove Interest.

Receiving Interest: if you receive interest you'll get an email and an alert is also displayed when you log in to your account.

The advert is displayed in ‘Respond to Interest’.

Interests will remain outstanding until you reply, unless the user removes their interest or leaves the site.

To Decline Interest: select Not Interested, then confirm by selecting Save this choice. We’ll email the user to let them know. (If you decline an interest you can quickly find it in View Declined Interests, but we’ll only store it here for 2 weeks. You’ll be able to show interest against a property you declined as well)

To Accept Interest, select I am interested – share my contact details, then select Save this choice. See below for the next steps.

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When you accept an interest:

• We’ll share your contact information with each other by email. The users contact details will also be displayed against their advert
• Speak with the other tenant to discuss your properties, you may decide at this stage that the exchange isn’t suitable
• If you’re both still interested, arrange to view each other homes. Click here for advice

Please ensure you consider any restrictions and public health safety advice relating to the coronavirus pandemic. You should not visit someone's home, or allow a visitor into your home, if you or anyone in your household are self-isolating or experiencing symptoms.

• You need to be satisfied with all aspects of the property and be happy to accept it in its current condition. Your exchanging tenant must also feel the same about your home
• Make sure you discuss all details relating to the property with the outgoing tenant
• Ensure you can afford the property - rent charges and other monthly costs will vary
• All tenants and joint tenants must agree, and you must all want to proceed

After you’ve both viewed, if you want to exchange, you must request permission from your landlord. Click here for more information.

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You must request permission from your landlord before moving home.

You do this by submitting a Mutual Exchange Application Form.

You can request to swap with tenants of a Council or Housing Association, but you both need to hold a Scottish Secure Tenancy Agreement (or equivalent in other parts of the UK)

Both/all parties involved must submit an application to their own landlord. If only 1 party requests the exchange, it cannot be considered.

If you’re a tenant with any of the following landlords, you can complete our FHR Mutual Exchange Application form:

Fife Council, Ark Housing Assocation (HA), Blackwood Homes, Dunedin Canmore HA, Fife Housing Group, Glen HA, Hillcrest Homes, Home Group, Kingdom HA, Link HA, Ochil View HA & Ore Valley HA.

The Mutual Exchange Application will be available from your own landlord, or can submitted online here

Our online form will be shared your landlord, and with the landlord of the property you’re looking to exchange with.

All mutual exchange applications will be considered, however some rules do apply. The rules relate to all parties/properties involved in the exchange. A mutual exchange may be refused where:

• there are rent arrears or outstanding recharges
• a notice for eviction has been served or an eviction order is in place
• any person involved in the exchange has pursued a course of antisocial behaviour
• the inside of the property is not to a reasonable standard
• the house has been designed or adapted, and the incoming household does not need the adaptations
• the exchange would result in under-occupation (too many bedrooms)
• the exchange would result in overcrowding (not enough bedrooms)
• either party is not a secure tenant, or has a Short Scottish Secure Tenancy (SSST)

Each landlord operates their own Mutual Exchange Policy. They will apply their own standards when considering an exchange request.

Your landlord must provide a written decision within 28 days. If you have not had a response to your application within 28 days, you can assume your application has been approved.

If your application is approved, a suitable exchange date will be arranged between yourself, your exchanging tenant, and the landlords involved. You will be required to sign a new Tenancy Agreement. Essential safety checks will be carried out when you move home.

You can find an exchange in many different ways. You might find an exchange through HomeSwap, by speaking with family, friends or neighbours, or through another online mutual exchange service. You don’t need to sign up to HomeSwap if you’ve already found your exchange, but you must request permission from your landlord before you swap homes.

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One of you might decide the swap isn’t suitable and you don’t want to take things further. Either of you can update the interest in the site, and we’ll email the other user to let them know.

• If you showed interest, select Remove Interest against the advert
• If you received the interest, update the response to Not Interested

If you change your mind after you submit a Mutual Exchange Application, you should tell the other tenant and you need to let your landlord know as well.

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Each landlord will approve adverts for their own tenants, please allow up to 5 working days for your advert to be approved.

If information in your advert is incorrect and needs changed, please contact your landlord.

If you experience any technical difficulties please contact homeswap@fife.gov.uk

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All users are expected to treat each other with dignity and respect.

Your access may be revoked if we are notified that you have behaved in an unacceptable manner towards another user.

Access will be revoked if inappropriate language is posted within advert content.

If you experience unacceptable behaviour please contact us at homeswap@fife.gov.uk

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To remove your account, select the ‘Delete my account’ option.

When you confirm you wish to be removed, your HomeSwap advert and fifehousingregister.org.uk account will be deleted. Your HomeSwap advert will no longer be visible to other users.

Your personal information will be permanently deleted after 3 months.

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