Mutual Exchange Guidelines

Mutual Exchange Guidelines for Basildon Council Tenants 

A mutual exchange can be a simple way to move by swapping your home with another council or housing association tenant, to something more suitable for yourself and your family. Only tenants with a secure, flexible or assured tenancy can apply and must have completed any introductory period.

If you are not moving to another Basildon Council property, it is important to ensure that that you check your rights as a tenant as well as rent and service charges with the landlord you are wishing to move to.

If you are moving out of a Basildon Council property, Basildon Council Tenants are required to allow contractors to perform gas & electrical safety checks and a property survey. If appointments for these are cancelled through no fault of our own, we reserve the right to cancel an application.

Before applying to exchange

Prepare yourself financially – for an exchange to take place, your rent account will have to be cleared up to the last date of your tenancy, 10 days before any new tenancy starting with Basildon Council. Some landlords may also request that you pay one full month’s rent in advance.

  • Do you owe money for rechargeable repairs?

  • Is your rent up to date?

  • Will you need an engineer to remove/install your cooker?

  • Will you need new carpets/curtains

  • Check how much will it cost to move – you may need a to hire a van

Check that the property you wish to move to is suitable for you and your family’s needs

  • Is it close enough to a school?

  • Is it easy to find parking close by?  

  • Have you familiarised yourself with the area?  

  • Are there good public transport links?

  • Have you had a good look around the property?

  • Is it going to be affordable?

Check your own property

  • Have you reported any outstanding repairs?

  • Have you removed any internal doors?

  • Does the garden need a tidy up?

  • Are there a lot of items in your home that you no longer need and can be taken to the tip?

If you answer YES to any of the above, it will help, to avoid disappointment, to yourself and your exchange partner if you remedy these before making an application.

Alterations

If you have made alterations to the property other than general decorating, you may be asked to remove any structures or fittings prior to a decision being made on the exchange. Removal of non-standard fixtures may also have to be undertaken and replaced with council standard fittings. 

The above could result in your application to exchange being cancelled, until the work/repairs identified for you to undertake, are completed. If you are unable to do the work yourself, the council may be able to arrange to do this for you but you will be recharged, which would have to be paid in full before an exchange can take place.

Is that extra bedroom necessary?

The property you wish to move to, must meet the housing need of your family, which is determined in accordance with Basildon Councils Housing Allocation Scheme (see details below).  In some circumstances, you may be permitted to have one bedroom above your assessed housing need.

If you claim housing related benefits and wish to move to a property that has a spare room above your needs, you will be required to complete an income and expenditure form and proof of all your income with bank statements and information from DWP. If you are only claiming basic benefits such as income support/child benefit an extra room would not be regarded as affordable.

Housing need assessment

  • A single adult or couple

  • Any other adult aged 16 or over

  • Any two children (aged under 16) of the same sex

  • Any two children (of any sex) under the age of 10 

  • Any other child aged under 16  

 

Getting ready to apply

Certain documents to support the application will be required. Please have these ready as you will need to provide them.    

We will endeavour to make a decision regarding a mutual exchange within 42 days of receiving all applications and documents from all parties.

Please Note This does not mean that you would be moving within 42 days. Once a decision is made, we will endeavour to arrange for the exchange to go ahead within 2 to 3 weeks of approval wherever possible. 

 

Documents required

  • Photo ID

  Or:

  • A recent photograph of all adults in the household. Adult children would also need to submit copies of their birth certificates
  • Proof of living at the address for all adults in the household which could be utility bills or bank statements (Please note that these types of documents would need to be dated withing the last 2 months of applying)

  • A copy of your current bank statement or screenshot, dated within the last 3 months, showing your name, address, and the Child Benefit payment for the children you currently claim for

  Or:   

  • A screenshot of child benefit online portal dated within the last 3 months, showing your name, address, and the names of the children you currently claim for

 

Common reasons for refusing an exchange (other reasons may apply)

If a move to one of Basildon Councils properties would result in the need to install adaptations, the exchange would not be permitted if:

The property would make your household overcrowded as per the above bedroom guidelines.

We reserve the right to stop an exchange where there are significant safeguarding concerns.

We may withdraw consent to exchange if rent arrears are not rectified within 28 days of receiving an application.

A property that has been extensively adapted for disabled persons and the person wishing to move in has no requirement for such adaptations.

Any current tenancy breaches.