Tuesday, 27 May 2008

Homeswap Scheme Gives More Choice to Tenants

Council tenants searching for a new home can now swap with other tenants across the country.

Basildon Council has launched a new mutual exchange scheme giving St Georges Community Housing tenants greater choice over where they live.

Homeswapper allows residents to switch properties with other social tenants living both in and outside of the district.

Tenants signed up to the web-based scheme are matched with people looking to swap similar sized homes. They are then alerted to any potential matches by mobile, email or post.

Councillor Tony Ball, deputy leader of Basildon Council, said: “Homeswapper offers tenants greater choice and flexibility over where they live.

“In the past, tenants searching for a new home had to wait for an available property on a lengthy housing transfer list.

“This new exchange scheme gives tenants wider choice, and helps people who want, or need to move, to find a suitable home much quicker.”


The service is being provided at no cost to tenants. People registered on the scheme can run searches for new homes based on type, location, number of bedrooms and cost of rent.

The system is accessed by computers based in Basildon Council’s St Martin Square offices and local area housing offices.

It replaces the council’s old mutual exchange system which offered a limited area of choice and didn’t automatically match people to their specific requirements.


This is free for St Georges Community Housing tenants and no registration fee is applicable.

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