Holiday house swap using rented accommodation

oxford1987

Im very taken with the idea of a holiday house swap, where two people swap houses for their respective holidays, without paying anyone anything.

However, I'm currently living in rented accommodation with a miserly landlord and my ill-reputed estate agents are around the corner.

Nothing specifically forbidding house swaps in the contract as far as I can see (although of course I can't sub-let). Has anyone had any experience with doing a house swap in rented accommodation? Any tips on how to talk the landlord/agent round to it or am I doomed to failure?

Any advice welcomed!

(I have searched for similar threads on this but haven't found anything - let me know if you think I've missed anything elsewhere)

jonesMUFCforever

You need the permission of the landlord.

Just imagine trying to tell him/her if damage occurs when you are away- whether accidental or deliberate!

agrinnall

Let us know how you get on - but if it's not an outright refusal I would be astonished.

oxford1987

Hmmmm... Nothing in the contract forbids it as far as I can see, so plan is to re-read it to make double sure and then just send an email to the landlord saying something like "I'm doing this, if anything in our contract means we can't then let me know within 14 days".

Will keep you updated!

sooz

Why use the words 'house swap'?

You have spoken to the other couple/family involved, & will be staying in their house? Then you are friends, staying in each other's houses.

It will be much more appealing (& I speak as a landlord) to say, we'll be away for 2 weeks, and friends will be house-sitting.

tori.k

We have done holiday exchange's its a two edge sword at times, you may want to check the T&C of the exchange site your using

homeexchangeguru.com/index.php?page=abouthomeexchange. has a wealth of info and worth a read

Holiday exchanges are done on trust (not that im saying renter's are untrustworthy) but you will find it harder to find exchanges as your not as financially tied to the property like an owner, this will put some-people off, so maybe look to exchange in Place's in France/Germany as renting is more the norm then a lot of oversea's places.
good luck

oxford1987

sooz - that's ingenious and a very good way of looking at it. I'll word it like that and let you know how I get on.

tori.k, thanks for the link - a very useful site.