Transfers and exchanges

If you are already a tenant of the Housing Executive or a housing association and you want to move to another social housing property you can ask for a transfer.

Provided you meet certain criteria your landlord can then process a transfer application. 

How to request a transfer 
If you are a Housing Executive tenant and have an account, the quickest and easiest way to request a transfer is through the My Housing Executive portal.  

Once we receive your request, we will arrange a suitable time to carry out an assessment with you.

If you do not have a My Housing Executive portal account, you can register at:
MyHousingExecutive

Or you can call the Customer Portal Helpline or talk to your Patch Manager by:
tel: 03448 920 910



Alternatively, you may wish to contact your Patch Manager via telephone to request a transfer:

• tel: 03448 920 900

If you are a housing association tenant, please contact your housing association to discuss the transfer process.
 
If you require emergency temporary accommodation you should contact us directly, please call:

• tel: 03448 920 900 during office hours or
• tel: 03448 920 908 for our out of hours service (Monday-Friday after 5pm and weekends)

What happens after I apply?
A transfer assessment usually involves a visit to your home. In very exceptional circumstances, it may be possible for this to take place over the phone or in person at a local office.

Your landlord will then assess your housing needs and place you on the social housing waiting list for a housing transfer.

Social landlords within your area of choice will then consider you for suitable available properties. 

Who may not be able to transfer
Your landlord will not usually consider your request for a transfer if:

• you have been living in your home for less than two years

• you have rent arrears of four weeks or more

• your home is in a bad state of repair, or we have charged you for repairs

• you are guilty of a serious breach of your tenancy conditions

As a social housing tenant, it is possible to arrange a “swap” with another social housing tenant.

We call this a "mutual exchange"

You may find a mutual exchange useful if:

• you need a smaller, or larger home

• you want to move to a new area

• you want to find a more suitable home

• you don't want to wait a long time for a transfer

You can read more information in our leaflet. 
Want to move home (PDF 790 kB) 

You must get permission from your landlord to exchange (swap) your tenancy.

Your landlord should rarely refuse permission if you are a secure tenant, but there are some circumstances where your landlord may not agree to an exchange.

These include where:

• you owe your landlord rent 

• your proposed new property is too small or too large for your household 

• your current home has been adapted

• your current home is part of a sheltered scheme, and the new tenant has no need for this type of accommodation

• your home is subject to a court order for possession

• you have carried out improvements or alterations without your landlord’s consent

Your landlord can help identify potential matches with other tenants who you may wish to swap homes.

They can do this by using the Mutual Exchange Register.

For your details to be included on the Register, you must provide your consent. If you have not provided your consent, you can do so by completing the form provided below and return it to your landlord.

Alternatively, you can contact your Patch Manager or, if you are housing association tenant. your housing officer, to provide your consent over the phone. 

Download the:
Mutual exchange service consent form (PDF 168kB)

HomeSwapper
Another option to finding a Mutual Exchange is to use the HomeSwapper service. This is free for our tenants, and is also available to most housing association tenants at no charge. 

By registering on HomeSwapper, you can create a profile of your home to advertise online.  You can upload photos, use filters to search for homes in areas you are interested in moving to, as well as much more.

To register with HomeSwapper and look for potential swaps, please visit Homeswapper.co.uk. Once registered, your landlord will be notified to verify your account.

When this has been complete, you will then be able to create a profile for your home.

Housing Executive tenants can log into their Tenant Portal account to find out more about HomeSwapper. Tenants without a Tenant Portal account can contact their Patch Manager for assistance.

Housing association tenants who are interested in this service can contact their Housing Officer. 



Other ways to find a mutual exchange
You may also find potential home swaps:

• by word of mouth

• advertising in newspapers or online

• postcards in shop windows

You must get permission from your landlord before you exchange your home.

If you find a suitable swap you should contact your landlord to register for a mutual exchange. 

We will then:

• inspect both homes before approving the exchange

• approve the request unless there is good reason not to

• send our decision in writing - to you and the other tenant - within 42 days of your request

If we approve the exchange both tenants must sign a form to complete the exchange.

We call this “tenancy assignment”.

Rights and responsibilities
You should check what your rights, responsibilities and conditions of tenancy will be if you are considering a swap to a home with a different landlord. 

Whether you currently receive help with your housing costs or not you should also check whether the new rent will be affordable when considering a swap 

Arranging viewings
When viewing or showing a home we recommend that you take some basic precautions to make sure you are safe:

• arrange the viewing time in daylight

• have someone with you - don’t show your own home or go to see another home on your own

• tell someone when and where you are going

• bring a mobile phone with you and keep it switched on