Yes, there is no limit on how many people are involved in an exchange to help everyone find the home they are looking for. You can have multiple people involved as long as everyone meets our mutual exchange eligibility criteria.

You must both make your applications as close together as possible, ideally on the same day. You will need the permission of the other party to provide us with their details.

No, you will not be able to apply for a mutual exchange unless you have lived in your current home for at least 12 months. The only exception is if you previously moved into your home as a result of another mutual exchange.

Yes, you can exchange with a resident of any UK housing association as long as they meet our mutual exchange criteria.

Once we receive your application, we will contact the other party to ensure they are eligible for your property. We will send a report to their landlord setting out your circumstances and request the same information for their tenant.

It is up to you to make sure you are happy with the condition of your new property before you move, so have a good look round beforehand. You can find advice on how to conduct safe viewings under Covid-19 guidelines on Gov.uk.

We will politely refuse to accept reports of any repairs or improvement requests which relate to the condition the home at the time you agreed to move. For example, wear and tear on hinges, décor, and surfaces.

Of course, you can still report emergency issues and new repairs throughout the course of your tenancy.  

We have clear criteria about how many bedrooms people need when they transfer or apply for a mutual exchange – for instance we would not allow a single adult to move into a 3 bedroom house. The criteria is:

• 1 Bedroom for a couple who are married in a civil partnership or who are living together
• 1 bedroom for any other person aged 16 or over
• 1 bedroom for any two children of the same sex aged at least 10 and under 16
• 1 bedroom for any two children regardless of sex aged less than 10
• 1 bedroom for any other child

That means:

• A couple or a single person with one child require two bedrooms
• A couple or a single person with two same sex children require two bedrooms
• A couple or a single person with two different sex children require two bedrooms if both children are under ten years old
• A couple with two different sex children require three bedrooms if one of the children is over ten years old.

You can find more information about calculating your bedroom entitlement on the entitledto website.  

You will not be able to exchange with just any resident. We have a duty to ensure that we make best use of our accommodation so there are guidelines on who you can exchange with. The person you want to exchange with must meet the same elibilitiy criteria as you and must also move to a home with the right number of bedrooms to suit their needs. Find out more about mutual exchange eligibility.

If you are exchanging with another CKH resident, they will have to provide the same evidence of the condition of their home as you do. If we are unhappy with the condition of their home, we will not give permission for the move to go ahead.

If you are moving to a non CKH property, we will not check the condition of the property you are moving to. You should visit the property beforehand and make sure you are happy with the property condition.

Regardless of whether you a moving to a CKH home or not, it is your responsibility to visit your new property to make sure you are happy with the condition. When you agree to a mutual exchange, you accept the property ‘as seen’. That means you will be personally responsible for any outstanding repairs. We will not accept any reports of repairs which relate to existing issues or wear and tear, such as damaged surfaces, after you move.

Yes, we will need to come out to your home to carry out an inspection. Once your exchange has been agreed we will contact you to arrange a time to do this.