Council House Swap London: How to Find a Mutual Exchange in the Capital
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Why London tenants are swapping
London has over 780,000 social homes spread across 33 boroughs. With waiting lists stretching to
ten years or more in some areas, mutual exchange is often the fastest — and sometimes only —
way for council and housing-association tenants to move. A swap lets you move closer to work,
family or a better school without joining another waiting list.
How mutual exchange works in London
Mutual exchange is your legal right under the Housing Act 1985 (secure tenants) or the Housing
Act 1988 (assured tenants). You and another tenant agree to swap homes, both landlords give
written consent within 42 days, and you exchange tenancies. It works across boroughs — a tenant
in Hackney can swap with someone in Croydon or even outside London entirely.
Can you swap across boroughs?
Yes. There is no rule that says you must stay within your own borough or even your own landlord.
Cross-borough and cross-landlord swaps happen all the time. The key requirement is that both
landlords approve, and they can only refuse on the specific legal grounds set out in Schedule 3 of
the Housing Act 1985, things like rent arrears, a possession order, or the home being too large
or small for the incoming household.
What about three-way swaps?
In a city as large as London, a direct two-way match can be hard to find. Three-way and four-way
chains where three or four tenants each move into the next person's home — unlock moves that
would otherwise be impossible. These chains are almost impossible to spot by hand, which is why
HousingBase's AI Matching Engine searches for them automatically.
- What documents do you need?
- • Photo ID for everyone named on the tenancy
- • Your tenancy agreement
- • A recent rent statement showing a clear account
- • A gas safety certificate for your property