Housing Association Mutual Exchange Problem?

mrecuk

Myself and my partner currently live in a 1 bed property. We are looking to do a mutual swap with another housing association tennant. They like our property and we like theirs as its the location that we are looking for so we're closer to family. The only problem is that the property they are offering is a 2 bed house.

So my question is, is it possible for a swap to take place taking into account that the property we would move into has 2 bedrooms when we only need 1? Would the housing association/local council allow this or is ths a big no no?

I have contacted my housing association and the local council but no one seems to be getting back to me anytime soon.

Cheers

(p.s we have also taken into consideration the bedrrom tax and the cost of it)

pmlindyloo

I think you are going to have to wait for your council/HA to respond. Give them a ring.

According to this

http://www.ourproperty.co.uk/guides/how_to_go_about_a_council_house_exchange.html

A council/HA can refuse the mutual exchange if the property is too large but I suspect that different councils/HAs will have different criteria as to what is 'too large'.

Rambosmum

You would need the OK from the HA before you could do the swap. I'd say they'd be unhappy about it as you don't need a 2 bed, but whether they could stop you if you can afford it I don't know.

Dan-Dan

The local HA/Council need to confirm you qualify to exchange , after that its up to you but if your in receipt of HB you might want to research `bedroom tax`

rachelemily1985

We exchanged our council house, was actually 4 of us all swapping and they were all council properties, we were able to swap from a 2 bed to a 3 bed, although this was about 4 years ago before bedroom tax. Our local council policy was you was allowed one extra bedroom x

Shelldean

It will depend on the particular housing association.
Locally ours allows an extra.bedroom if mutually exchanged, but not if they downsize you.

We know this as my Nan was looking to downsize from her three bed. If she got a mutual exchange she was allowed two bedrooms even tho it was just her.
However if they found her a smaller place it would ever be suitable for her needs, so a one bed.

t0rt0ise

Yes when I swapped in 2010 we were allowed an extra bedroom. Some HAs and councils have now changed their rules so you need to check first.