Last month we started our new blog series that highlighted some of the clever tools within HomeSwapper that you may not have used before. Each month we’ll be giving you our top pick of functions for you to start using - and this month we’re drawing your attention to the… Amenities tab When you click onto another swapper’s advert, you’ll see this screen: Now, you’ll probably be [...]
Local councils are extremely important to the running of Wales. The country has 3.1 million people living in it, and with a lot of those people living in the countryside, it has half the population density of the rest of the UK. The place where the majority of decisions are made changed from The Houses of Parliament in London to the Welsh Assembly (which is known as Senedd) in the [...]
Housing Associations and local authorities are seeking out tenants for their opinions on how they work. Scrutiny panels are groups led by tenants that point out areas to investigate that matter to them, such as repairs, anti-social behaviour or debt advice. The outcomes from the findings are reported to the leadership and board members of your landlord and could make a difference to their decision-making. What is a [...]
We’ve filled the HomeSwapper site with all the tools and features you need to swap your home – from our MultiSwap tool to our messaging function and match filters, we try to make using HomeSwapper as easy as possible for you. But aside from the main features, there are a few clever tools we want to draw your attention to for when you’re next using HomeSwapper to find your match. [...]
With the cold weather closing in, in the UK we can expect buckets of rain, gale force winds and maybe even snow coming our way over the following months. Whilst this season has many good things: cosy evenings, the return of the roast dinner and Christmas, winter can also be challenging for homes and health. But there’s help out there and things you can do to prepare for the cold [...]
Bright lights, the excitement of sparklers and the smell of gunpowder mark the start of winter in the UK. Each November 5th we come together to remember Guy Fawkes’ attempt to blow up the Palace of Westminster in 1605 – and this Tuesday many of us across the UK will have been out doing just that. But this is only the start… the past week has also seen many people [...]
Local councils are responsible for providing a variety of services in the areas they manage. From education to waste disposal, local authorities provide and organise the frontline services that we all rely on. In England, more than 2 million people are employed by local government - these are some of the most respected workers in the country, such as firefighters, social services and schoolteachers. Over the next few weeks, we [...]
We can’t all get along with everyone all the time, in fact it’s completely normal to have your ups and downs with family, friends and neighbours. These little disputes can affect us in the moment and be forgotten about a day later. However, more disturbing or routine behaviour can make a real impact on our day-to-day lives and might actually be termed ‘antisocial behaviour’. Here’s what it means and some [...]
A few weeks ago we spoke to Carl about his experience on HomeSwapper. To work his way from Lincolnshire to Poole, Carl had to complete a few swaps along the way. In the final MultiSwap that got him there, one of the swappers in the chain had accessibility needs. Carl told us about some of the things that they needed to consider as a chain. Carl and his family [...]
Securing your children’s future is a priority for all parents. There are many financial products out there that can help you set aside small amounts of money each month that can’t be accessed until they become an adult. There are also current accounts that can teach them how to manage their money, deposit wages and savings into. To start with you may just want to start setting small amounts [...]
Sometimes in life, to achieve your goals you may have to take some unexpected steps – and this counts for HomeSwapper as well! We spoke to HomeSwapper user, Carl. He and his family were determined to move from a small village in Lincolnshire in the midlands to Poole in Dorset on the south coast. It took them a bit longer than expected, but they learnt a lot along the way. [...]
While we know that the majority of you use HomeSwapper well, we recently spoke with a swapper who told us that there are a few users out there who aren’t quite following the rules. So, we wanted to remind everyone how to best use HomeSwapper with a quick guide of the most important rules (and some general best practice too). Cash incentives Some people may offer you cash incentives [...]
This Sunday, the 22ndSeptember cities around the world will shut down their streets to cars and vehicles, giving people the chance to enjoy a car-free city. From Budapest to Sao Paolo, World Car Free Day is asking us all to imagine our lives without cars. In urban areas, levels of toxic air are one of the biggest public health emergencies and vehicles are one of the main causes of [...]
In recent weeks there has been a lot of talk of elections and if you’re eligible to vote, you’ll need to register to make sure you have your say. But whether or not a general election is called in the coming weeks, registering to vote is a good idea, as it improves your credit score and is a great proof of address and identity! Most people living in the [...]
Between 13-22 September each year 40,000 volunteers organise events up and down the country at National Trust sites, museums, places of natural beauty and other cultural sites. All of these events are FREE and a great chance to check out our country’s culture and history. Founded in 1994, Heritage Open Days began working with European Heritage to throw the doors open to places normally closed to the general [...]
Many of the landlords that are signed up to HomeSwapper hold events throughout the year to touch base with you all, answer any queries and – often – put on a day of activities and games. No doubt you’ll have attended one with your landlord before, but if not, we recommend giving them a try! Here we tell you why… Meeting other swappers There will probably be other tenants [...]
Childcare – what you’re entitled to The costs of childcare in the UK can eat up a big chunk of the family budget – but there is help to be had! In this article, we’ll take a look at the financial support out there that you can access, from when your children are toddlers, right up to when they’re teenagers! Tax-free childcare If you're a working parent with [...]
Whether you’ve been living in one place for a while, or have just moved, home security is always a hot topic. It’s often only after a break-in that many people realise just how many spots around their house are vulnerable, but in fact many of these could be prevented or deterred with some simple security changes. Nobody likes to think about something like this happening, but prevention is always the [...]
This Thursday was Cycle to Work Day, so we’re giving some thought to some of the great cycling schemes around! One of the best ways to get to know your neighbourhood is by bike. Cycling to work, school or on days out can be quicker, more flexible and healthier – not to mention better for the environment! Councils and urban planners are increasingly encouraging cycling and building in cycleways [...]
Whether you’ve been on HomeSwapper for a little while, or you’re fairly new to swapping, you’ll know that using HomeSwapper, you’re able to take a look through other swappers’ adverts and eventually, find your swap. But what happens after you’ve agreed a mutual exchange? Once you’ve found your swap, your time on HomeSwapper will have come to an end. Now, both of you involved in the swap will [...]
In the UK there is one person that we can all agree is a national treasure: David Attenborough. For years he has been campaigning for us to make changes to help save the environment and people seem to be starting to listen. Plastic free July has been taking over social media for the last month - but trying to make more eco-friendly decisions can be intimidating and it’s hard to [...]
We’re continuing with our financial advice series and this week we’re looking at credit unions. If you’ve decided that mainstream banking isn’t for you, a credit union could be a great alternative! A credit union is a cooperative model of banking, which is owned and run by the very people putting in their money – you! They provide savings, loans and financial planning for their members and any money made [...]
In this week’s article we’ll give you a few tips for keeping those passwords secure and we’ll show you a way to make sure you never forget another password! It might be for your utility bills, your studies, garden centre or even HomeSwapper account - the truth is we are all drowning in online passwords! Some of them are more sensitive than others; our medical or financial information needs [...]
A few weeks ago we wrote about tools and tips for improving your credit score. This week we’re looking at basic bank accounts, which have been designed for those with low credit scores who can’t get – or don’t want – a standard bank account. A basic bank account offers a place for you to store your money and pay your money from, without an overdraft – which means the [...]
The areas we live in can mean ‘home’ to us, just as much as the property we’re living in… and the people who know what’s best for a street, community or public space are the people who live in it every day: you! Is there a space in your local community that could do with some love and care? Could you plan to bring your neighbours together through an event? [...]
If you’ve got a spare room, you may be affected by ‘Bedroom Tax’ and looking for an option that allows you to stay in your home. Getting a lodger in could be a great way of solving this – and you’ll even make some extra income in the process. As of October 2013, social housing tenants have been able to rent out their spare room, although some people may not [...]
Social housing is an important part of our society, with over 4 million social housing homes across the UK. The boom of social housing came from some of the greatest times of social unity in our country, when we had come through the struggle and suffering of the Second World War. Following the 75th anniversary of D-day we are telling the story of the co-operation amongst British people from all parts [...]
It’s always a good idea to spruce up your home every so often, whether it’s for yourself or for potential viewings. Little changes can make a big difference and they don’t all have to be DIY projects; some of them can be little fixes that will breathe new life into your home. Here we’re listing out how you can give your home a lift all year round… [...]
In the next article of our series introducing you to the Customer Support Team, we speak Tammy. She filled us in on why she loves working with the Customer Support Team and what she finds most rewarding about the role… First up, tell us about your role I know and work across all of the Housing Partners products, but the main product I work on is PRAH, which [...]
If you are an adult it is likely that you have a credit score. Why is it important? What is it? And how can you look after yours? Why it's important These days, many companies who lend money or offer important services such as home rental, gas & electricity and even mobile phones, want to understand their customers and their financial ability. One of the ways they [...]
We love hearing about your experiences on HomeSwapper – it’s always great to know when you’ve found your new home! When letting us know that you’ve swapped, many of you also share good tips for other swappers out there. Here, Angela* (*not her real name) gives her advice on going through the swapping process. “I have successfully swapped twice through HomeSwapper now, both short and long distance. Having gone [...]
Here at HomeSwapper we want to make sure that it’s as easy as possible to find the home you need. We know it can be frustrating when a property seems perfect, so you’ve started chatting to the other user, but then one missing specification means that you’re no longer a match and you both end up disappointed. On HomeSwapper, we’ve built in a lot of features that you can use [...]
We love hearing stories from HomeSwapper users about their home swaps, so we were really excited to talk to Melanie* from London (*not her real name) about her experience a few years ago. Mel used a MultiSwap to find her new home and so we asked if she found it easy to use and why she would recommend giving MultiSwap a go. Mel, who was living on her own [...]
Writing a great advert could be the difference between a quick and easy swap and months spent looking for one. To get other people interested in your property, you'll need to tell them all the reasons you love being there. There are a lot of things you can do to make your advert as appealing as possible and it’s important to have a think about it from different angles - [...]
Once you’ve found your swap and made it through the swapping process, you can get moving! When it comes to moving house though, it’s not just about the big things… there can be so many small details to remember. It’s no wonder that there are some things that slip minds. We’ve written this guide to work as a helping hand on moving day. 1. Label boxes This might [...]
We can’t deny it - moving house is a stressful experience and when you add pets into the equation, it can take it to another level. Cats and dogs in particular become very attached to their own territory and a house move can be disruptive and disorientating for them. So, we’ve put together a list of do’s and don’ts to help your pets feel at home as quickly as you [...]