We can’t control the behaviour of others and on HomeSwapper we want to protect our users from negative contact as much as we can. Using the report button means we can take action for you and make sure that your time on HomeSwapper is enjoyable and safe.
Blocking another user
If another swapper is harassing you or being rude, it is possible to block them from sending you messages. To do this, go to any message you have received from that swapper, and you will see that above the message on the right-hand side, there’s a button that says Block User.
They won’t get a message to say that you have blocked them, however if they do try and message you again on the system, it will not be delivered.
Reporting another swapper
To report another user, go the swapper’s profile and in the toolbar on the right-hand side you’ll see a red flag that says Report.
You should report another swapper in the following circumstances:
- Abusive messages
If you receive any messages via the HomeSwapper messaging system that are rude or threatening, then press the report button and that user will have this message sent to them.
“You have added a message on the HomeSwapper website containing rude/abusive language. If you wish to continue using HomeSwapper, we ask that you respect all users in the same way you would expect them to respect you. Failure to do this, will result in your account being closed.”
- Inappropriate photos
Nobody should be exposed to inappropriate content on HomeSwapper. If you report this behaviour to us, we will remove these types of photographs and let the tenant that holds the account know that any further breaches of our rules will mean their account being closed down.
- Fraudulent adverts
An advert could be fraudulent by wrongly stating that a property is a flat rather than a house or by showing an incorrect number of bedrooms. Sometimes people also list properties that they are not the tenant of. At HomeSwapper, we can’t be sure that an advert is showing the correct information, however all adverts are checked by landlords before they go live to make sure that the information about their home is accurate. Whenever we are alerted to the fact that an advert might be fraudulent, we refer this behaviour back to the landlord. It’s then their responsibility to check accounts and approve them for HomeSwapper.
- Cash incentives
If anybody offers to pay you to swap homes with them, or offers incentives, such as paying for your moving fees, please be clear that this is illegal and you should report it to us. We remove these incentives from profiles and send a warning email to the person who has offered them.
If you’re unsure of your own behaviour and what’s allowed and what isn’t, have a read of this article.
When not to use the Report button
Some tenants use the Report button for smaller issues, for example when they’re not getting a response from another swapper. The Report button is only there for reporting the issues listed above, so think before you click!
Please note our messaging facility is private and secure, but if you have chosen to disclose either your phone number, personal email address or social media profile via our messaging tool, this is entirely your decision and we unfortunately, are not able to accept responsibility for this.
You can have a read about how to share your contact details in the blog we wrote on the topic earlier this month here.
Happy searching, swappers and stay safe!
The HomeSwapper Customer Support team are always on hand to give advice and tips on how to get the most from HomeSwapper. They deal with Swappers every day and have a unique insight and view on the thousands of successful swaps that take place on HomeSwapper.
