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Is a house swap holiday the secret to saving money (and living like a local)?

House swaps can dramatically cut the cost of your holiday - This content is subject to copyright.
House swaps can dramatically cut the cost of your holiday - This content is subject to copyright.

House swaps - where you lend your own home to another family while you live in theirs - can be a great way of cutting holiday costs, as well as giving you the feeling of living like a local, rather than a tourist. But they won’t suit everyone, and you do need to go into them with your eyes open. It isn’t hard to find a house-swap company to make initial introductions, but as a non-commercial arrangement, the fine detail is left to home-owners to agree between themselves. So how do you best go about it?

Good company

Well-established house-swapping companies to consider include:

HomeLink UK (homelink.org.uk)

Intervac Home Exchange (gb.intervac-homeexchange.com)

Green Theme International (gti-home-exchange.com)

Home Base Holidays (homebase-hols.com)

Love Home Swap (lovehomeswap.com)

Home Exchange (homeexchange.com)

The costs

Annual membership ranging from £28 to £240, depending on the company and the type of package it offers. This gives access to listings and allows you to add your own property to their website. Then it’s up to you to make contact with other owners and arrange your exchange. Some companies offer a free trial period.

They also offer the chance to live like a local - Credit: ISTOCK
They also offer the chance to live like a local Credit: ISTOCK

Do the research

To make the swap successful you’ll need to be prepared to spend plenty of time researching potential exchange partners. If you’re interested in food and want to spend time sampling local produce and eating out, for example, it makes sense to find a smaller place with a good kitchen close to restaurants; whereas if you’re travelling with energetic children, on the other hand, it will obviously be important that the house is child-friendly with unfussy furnishings and a garden.

The small print

House-swap companies don’t visit properties before taking them on, so it’s important to study photos carefully, look at the feedback and communicate fully with the owner well in advance. Agencies advise against making the decision to swap before you’ve established a good rapport and are clear about each other’s expectations. You will also have to agree on how utility bills will be settled. Usually each owner continues to pay their own, with the exception of phone calls. You may want to swap cars as well as houses, in which case your motor insurer should be informed. Some owners may want their garden watered or may even leave pets behind to be looked after. It’s all open to negotiation.

50 simple ways to save money on your holiday
50 simple ways to save money on your holiday

Insurance questions

Because the arrangement is non-commercial, your household insurance shouldn’t be affected, but you should still let your insurer know, double checking that your policy agreement will remain in place while you’re away. Since missing personal possessions are unlikely to be covered unless you have a break-in, it’s best to remove any valuable items.

Cancellation cover

A final tip is to make sure your holiday insurance includes cancellation cover in case a problem arises with your house swap just before you’re due to depart.