Swapping my home
You may be able to swap your home for another Raven home or with another social housing property somewhere else in the country.
Visit the Homeswapper website, which our eligible customers can join for free, to see all social housing properties available for exchange throughout the UK.
For any queries regarding swapping your home, please contact your tenancy services officer through the MyRaven customer portal.
What could this mean for my tenancy rights?
Two assured tenants can swap their homes and their tenancies with each other, using a simple form called a ‘deed of assignment’.
Fixed term tenancies are assured shorthold tenancies and these need a different process for swapping. The tenants involved sign different legal documents and each would keep their existing tenancy type. This process is also used when one tenant has an assured tenancy and the other has a fixed term tenancy.
If one of the tenants is with another landlord, then the process may vary according to the other landlord’s procedure.
Other things to consider when swapping your home
You cannot swap your home during the introductory period – usually the first year of your tenancy. Swaps are also not available if you have a keyworker tenancy, are in temporary accommodation or have been served a notice of seeking possession, which is notice to leave your home.
Before we approve the exchange, we will need to inspect your home so please make sure it is in good condition and there have been no unauthorised alterations as these will cause delays.
For a move to be agreed, you and the other tenants involved must also have clear rent accounts. Any tenant swapping into one of our homes must also pay a full week’s rent when they sign their new tenancy.
The property size you wish to move to must be suitable for your household need. We won’t permit a property to be under-occupied or overcrowded.
The process for swapping my home
You will need to complete a Mutual Exchange application form, which can be downloaded here:
Please remember that all parties who are swapping need to complete and return a copy of this form to us. Once we have received all application forms, we will reach a decision within 42 days.
If the exchange is approved, final arrangements will then need to be made and a date agreed with us to sign the legal documentation, as well as a move date. Please do not book a removal van before a move date is agreed with us.
Other ways to move
If you are not swapping your home and want to move, you will need to join the housing register for your local council, see applying for a home.
Or if you are interested in buying a home see homeownership options.
Our Moneywise team can also advise on managing your finances so you can work towards buying a home outright or on a shared ownership basis. You can contact the Moneywise team by completing the form via the MyRaven customer portal.