16 June 2019 http://www.yourhomemagazine.co.uk
I
f budgets are tight this year but you’ve
always fancied visiting a different part
of the country, or even somewhere
abroad, taking part in a house exchange
could be the answer. As well as bagging
yourself a free holiday, you’ll have
someone house-sitting your property
who could potentially look after any pets
and water the plants too!Try something different
this summer and go for a
holiday house swap for a
home-from-home experienceFeature
Hayley Gilbert
Image
iStock
It’s pretty simple to get started:
n First you need to join up to one or more
of the specialist sites that offer this service
(see useful contacts for details). Join as a full
or free trial member and create your listing.
n Provide plenty of practical information about
your home and the local area as well as lots of
lovely photos.
n Add information on where and when you’dlike to swap then use the search tab to look
for homes that match your travel plans and
property needs.
n You can send and receive messages with any
potential house swappers via the site’s secure
messaging system.
n Once you’ve got the perfect match, finalise
dates and details then confirm it all using the
site’s agreement form.Make sure your property is fully
prepared for your new guests:
l Always be honest about how you
describe your home and the local area.
l Clean up before you leave, empty the
fridge, blitz the bathroom and keep each
room clutter-free.
l Leave space in drawers and wardrobes
and provide plenty of clean towels.
l Make up the beds and leave some clean
spare bed linen. A welcome pack with bread,
milk, teabags, coffee and a nice bottle of
wine is a kind gesture.
l It’s a good idea to create a book with
local information, instructions for any alarms
or appliances as well as emergency contacts.
l Arrange for a friend or family member
to meet and greet the new arrivals.Q
Do the sites charge a fee?
Jenny Ross, TruroA
Yes, they make their money by charging
for membership, which is around £
a year. Once you’ve signed up, you can take
up as many house swaps as you want.PLAN AHEAD
The most successful house swappers
are those who are the most proactive:
3 The more flexible you can be about dates
and where you want to travel, the better.
3 People tend to plan short-haul trips about
three to six months ahead and long-haul
around six to nine months or more.
3 If you already own a holiday home, make
the most of it and offer it up for any dates
you’re not there.There are various options you can arrange:
3 The most common one is where two
members of a site swap at the same time, so
you stay in their home while they stay in yours.
3 Another idea is to swap with a member but
at different times – this works well with second
homes or when you know your home will
be empty.
3 A great way to meet new people is to offer a
hospitality exchange, where you’ll stay on at the
property and host them for a few days.
3 Request a house-sitter or offer your own
services for looking after pets and plants.
3 Youth exchange schemes are another option,
which can be a great idea if your teens are
learning a new language.HOUSE SWAPS
TO SUIT YOUl Find holiday house swaps at
http://www.homeexchange.com,
http://www.lovehomeswap.com,
http://www.homeaway.co.uk or
http://www.homelink.org.uk.
l Try http://www.in-let.co.uk or
http://www.directline.com for house
swap insurance.
l Head to http://www.timeout.com to
search for things to see and do in
various towns and cities worldwide.Useful contacts
HOW DOES IT WORK?
HOW TO GET YOUR
HOME HOLIDAY-READYA swap is a fantastic way of spending
time somewhere new for less.
nQuite often, those who live in a city centre
are looking for a country retreat and vice versa.
n The choice is yours about where you visit –
most sites have a huge range of countries so
there’s sure to be something for you.
n Exchanges are based on trust, so treat
someone else’s home as you would want
them to treat yours.HANDY HINTS