Mutual Exchanges

CCHA residents in General Needs Housing have the right to a mutual exchange with another council or housing association tenant within the Croydon area or elsewhere. If you do not have this right, you will be told when you sign up for the tenancy. Sheltered or Supported Housing residents do not qualify for mutual exchanges.

We can give you information on the HOMESWAP scheme and advise you on other ways of advertising for a swap. We have a list of tenants with properties they wish to exchange, these are advertised in our HomeSwap Adverts document.

If you find a tenant with whom you wish to exchange your home, you must ask us for written permission to do so. We must reply to your request within six weeks of you making an application.

Download a Mutual Exchange Application Form

We can only refuse permission to exchange for a few reasons. The most common reasons for refusal are:

• if there is a Court Order to evict you, or the tenant you wish to exchange with
• if a Notice of Seeking Possession has been served on you, or the tenant you wish to exchange with
• f the exchange would lead to too few people in the house or flat, according to its design

The exchange would have to take place on an agreed date to ensure that there is no loss of rent, and any rent owing ('arrears') must be settled in full.

The property will need to be left in an acceptable state of decoration and repair. Your Housing Officer will conduct an inspection of your home prior to the exchange proceeding.

We would expect receipt of a satisfactory report from the landlord of the incoming tenant to confirm the status of their tenancy.

You must not exchange before both landlords give written permission to do so.