Mutual exchange, next steps

• You contact the tenant directly and arrange to view each other’s property.
• Look carefully at the property and make sure you are happy with it
• If you move, Grand Union will not carry out any cleaning or decorating – this will be your responsibility
• If you like each others properties – apply to exchange on the Homeswapper website

Each exchange party will need to complete a Grand Union application form and send it to our Relocations Team. All joint tenants must sign the application form. If you wish to exchange with someone who is not a Grand Union tenant, you must also contact their landlord.

Please ensure that you choose the form that is correct for your circumstance:

• Not currently a Grand Union customer moving into a Grand Union property 
• Currently, a Grand Union customer exchanging to another Grand Union property 
• A mutual exchange partner but not moving in or out of a Grand Union property
• Currently, a Grand Union customer moving to a property with a different landlord

Once the application form and support information has been received from all parties, we will check the details and your tenancy records.

An appointment will be made for a relocations coordinator to inspect your home. An inspection is needed so we can advise you of any tenant responsibilities or repairs that you need to do before the exchange, as well as advising the incoming tenant of any additional responsibilities.

An electrical check will be arranged, you will need to ensure you are available for this appointment to allow the contractor access.  If the appointment dates are not convenient you will need to call us to reschedule.

If your exchange partner is not a Grand Union tenant, we will write to their landlord to request a reference. We will also forward a reference for you to the other landlord.

Examples where permission can be refused include:

• There is a Possession Order on the property or a Notice of Seeking Possession has been served.
• The property is too big or too small for the family wishing to move into it.
• The property has been built under a Section 106 Scheme, where it can only be let to people with a direct connection to the parish and the household wanting to move does not have a connection.
• The landlord is a charity and the proposed new tenants moving into the property would conflict with the objects of the charity.
• The property has special features that make it suitable for occupation by a physically disabled person, or is supported housing for people with special needs, or is for particularly vulnerable people, and if the exchange took place there would no longer be such a person living in the property.
• The tenant or any member of the household has behaved in an anti-social way and action is being taken.
• The property is tied accommodation, for example it’s connected to an employer and is reserved for occupancy by an employee.
• The property is the subject of a management agreement and there are specific arrangements in place that the proposed new tenant is not willing to participate in.

We can attach a condition to any consent and you would be unable to move until the condition was met.

For example, we could give permission subject to you clearing any arrears on the rent account, or completing a repair or other work that you are responsible for. This must be done to our satisfaction and we will carry out an inspection to check this.

A letter will be sent to you, either giving permission and outlining any conditions, or giving the reasons for refusal.

The permission letter will also tell you about any items you will become responsible for e.g. any alterations or improvements made by your exchange partner, as we will treat these items as though you carried out the work yourself. This means that we may not be responsible for their upkeep or replacement.

If you move without written permission you risk making you and your family homeless. Both you and the person that had moved into your home would become illegal occupants. You would also have no right to move back to your current home as you would have breached the tenancy of that property by giving up possession.

You should contact your exchange partner to agree a date you would like to move and then contact the Relocations team to confirm this.

Please be aware that we will need to make arrangement for a gas and electrical check to be carried out on our property for the mutual exchange start date and therefore you may need to be flexible with dates to allow us to book these appointments in.

The moving date must be on a Monday. Our relocations officer will prepare the necessary paperwork which will be sent to you to digitally sign via DocuSign. You will be asked to sign a Deed of Assignment and you will be given a copy of the tenancy agreement terms and conditions which will explain your tenancy rights. It is important that you read this information

You must agree with the person you are exchanging with about how and when you will swap keys.

We will arrange for gas and electric safety checks to be done on the Monday you move. You must allow our contractors access to carry out these checks.