Council Housing
Mutual Exchanges and Homeswaps
As well as applying to transfer to another Council property, existing South Ayrshire
Council tenants can apply for a mutual exchange with the following people:
- Other South Ayrshire Council tenants
- Tenants of other councils in the U.K.
- Tenants of housing associations or other RSLs in the U.K.
If two or more tenants wish to swap houses, each tenant must request this in writing
from their own landlord, by completing a Mutual Exchange Request Form. For South
Ayrshire Council tenants, this form is available above or from their local Area Housing Office.
When a request for mutual exchange is submitted, the Council must make a decision
on whether the exchange can go ahead within 1 month of the request being made.
Where one of the tenants wishing to exchange is a tenant of another landlord, the
Council will require the agreement of that landlord and a satisfactory tenancy reference
for that tenant.
Important Note:
In order for a mutual exchange to be approved by the Council, neither of the tenants involved should be in breach of their
current tenancy agreement, e.g. rent account in arrears or subject tot legal action for anti-social behaviour.
The accommodation that a tenant wishes to move to must also be suitable in terms of size and medical requirements.
If your mutual exchange is approved to a property which has more bedrooms than you need for your household as defined by
criteria set by the DWP, and you claim housing benefit, your housing benefit may be reduced.
This could result in you facing difficulties in being able to pay your rent.
You will be asked to complete a new tenancy disclaimer form confirming that you understand and accept the financial
implications of this choice.