HomeSwapper Arvostelua 

10th Year Anniversary on Homeswapper in January. To be fair the website is just a tool, but it's useless and there must be a better way to swap homes. The HA's should be dedicating staff for such a thing. The biggest problem lies with the tenants who are unrealistic in their expectations and fail to remember that most council homes are owner occupied and private rentals. They are unavailable to you. My street has 32 four in a block flats. Only 5 are HA. I am the only tenant who wants to move. Extrapolate that to most streets and your chances of securing a home this way are slim. My home is not good enough for most, despite garden, good neighbours, low crime, cheap rent and bills, free parking, great nearby facilities. They want to swap flats for bungalows and semi detached homes. Those who have them will swap with each other.

One man wanted a flat in return for his home. He was offered a new build, beautifully decorated in the best area of the city and he knocked it back. Another has a flat overlooked by a high rise and a noisy sports court. He was offered beautiful home, quiet street with garden and knocked it back. Another lives in a flat and has knocked back several homes because I thought she wanted a semi-detached. She was offered a semi-detached in the area she requested and knocked that back too! It doesn't get better. I have come to the conclusion most are not serious about moving and have just added their home to see what comes up and unless their dream home is offered they have no intention of moving.

I have tried direct swaps, multi swaps. I am advertised on 3 home swap websites and even advertise on Gumtree. Nothing works.

Another major issue is allocation policy rules. One time I almost had a multi swap and the HA blocked the move due to a bedroom that is 5 foot by 4 feet. Not allowed this spare room the size of a cupboard and prevented 5 families from moving home.

Another had a top floor flat with no lift. Very disabled and trapped in their home. They wanted to swap for my ground floor and that was refused again down to one spare bedroom. The HA are not only not helping us but are actively making things worse. Social and personal needs are being overlooked due to rules.

Also have to watch out for scammers. I had a woman try to swap me her home. Turns out the building was riddled with mice. Do your homework if you are lucky enough to find a swap. Good luck!

You have to reply to all messages, which might appear to be great for some to stop time wasters, but it's also a huge safeguarding concern for some when it can be equally misused by an ex that you've severed contact with for example. Having to reply to messages gives them control over you once again. They have the knowledge that they can message you and you have no choice but to reply, or loose access to home swapper messages. I think this is a huge safeguarding issue that should be addressed by the homeswapper team. There are people out there wanting to home swaps to escape people. There should be an option to not have to reply in these circumstances, even if it's just one no reply allowance per account.

The android app has had thousands of complaints of crashing and freezing which was not fit for anyone to use, but they still forced it upon people asking them to pay for the service.

PC browser main website.
Absolute joke Homeswapper is, feels like it is ran by criminals.
Can not message any swappers on the website as it states I have not responded to all messages, the ones I have not replied to would be shown in RED colour.

There is no RED chats and I reply to 100% of all chats. So again more problems with the service.

I have messaged them but not holding my breath, they blocked me from using the app years back and I made a discrimination complaint. They blocked me as I made a complaint that the app was un-useable and had lots of issues.

Rather than sort the problem, they banned users to silence there voice an rights to complain regarding a paid service.

Not much to ask is it for basic common respect??

I understand the platform can't really do much about it as they just offer a platform but it has timewasters galore here.

I experienced some timewasters and then came across another. I was going to swap my 1 bedroom house with a good sized garden for a 1 bedroom flat in another town (for health reasons). 1 bedroom houses are like gold dust so it should have been quite easy to complete a swap.

I expressed my concerns to this person about not wanting to deal with more timewasters and she assured me 100% she would never mess anyone around as she has been messed around before.

Trusting her (and to be fair, I was swapping for her tiny 1 bedroom flat, she was getting a house for it, so I didn't think there would be any changing of minds), we viewed each others homes and agreed on a swap. As paperwork was being filled in, I sent mine off and she messaged me saying she has changed her mind.

8 months later after no doubt she messed loads of other people around, she messaged me saying she had made a mistake and wants to go ahead with swapping. I told her no chance.

The problem is the people there. Mostly the people joining think a move would be nice but are settled and fine where they live so would only consider a move if something amazing was available. Then, as the process takes so long from start to finish with the paperwork and viewings, even if they agree initially to a move, there's a lot of time for them to pull out.

The problem is no comebacks on anyone either. No fees to pay or ban from the site for timewasting. They are free to do it over and over.

Can’t sign in can’t find anyone to contact without signing in I have premium membership Now just want to cancel! But can’t get on site

I’m really getting sick off this site. a lot off these swappers are really living in a dream the homes there looking for just don’t exist on homeswap you’re asking for to much large garden large bedrooms large kitchen a nice lawn on suite bathrooms…… come on this is council or housing. We do not own our own homes be real and as for the time waisters if you don’t want to move don’t contact home swappers waisting there time please read what home swappers are looking for.
And the area they are looking for. Also don’t send messages if you don’t want a reply back stop home swapper was really good a couple off years ago but I’m sorry to say it’s gone down hill as for the 3 way swaps it doesn’t work that’s a load off rubbish they will do anything to get the home they want and that includes Lies I can only say beware and take your time don’t rush this is your home you’re home

I was able to find a genuine swapper who understood the merits of the service provided by Homeswapper.

The website was easy to use and communicate with other swappers through.

It assisted my dream of moving to London to be next to my mom to come through. I really enjoyed the experience and I really recommend it to others also.

Initially seems easy to use and a great idea.

However, it is a bit soul destroying.

You can only respond to people who contact you and cannot contact anyone whose home you might like ( apparently you are supposed to be able to, as long as you have replied to all your messages)

However you can't and customer services are no help.

Good idea, but doesn't work.

Absolutely a waste of time never any new tenants little activity or choice.

Easy to enrol and fill in information. Notified of new Swappers by company. Can do a search yourself if you want to.

Terrible site . no-one will fix the problems on the site . So trying to swap is never going to happen.

From the 100, you'd be lucky to find 1 peeson who has actually swapped. The system needs a whole revamp and upheaval. Bigger families need bigger places, but smaller families with bigger houses don't want to swap, don't blame them! Housing in London is a problem and the solution homeswapper offers does not work. The change needs to be froma lot higher up, someone is simply making money with this contract and not really fulfilling their obligation of actually finding a solution.

And I'm sorry, ain't no one falling for the fake reviews on here that this system actually works.

It's too hard soul-destroying and
Makes you worry for months

My life is on hold and someone thinks they control your life

Takes months. Council’s are joke

House association alot better they give you chance

You do everything they ask and suppose to have answer in 42 days but there ia a loophole be WARNED

If they add conditionally approve before 42 dats and get your hopes
That gives them the right to make you wait longer and shatter your hopes and life

Be very careful and ask them to update the rules as its lies

Got a match, went the whole way, then the person I was swapping with changed their mind and pulled 5 days before the swap leaving me in the S...t both work wise, time wise and financially

Crap been on for 2 half years still nothing no one ever replays back to you so given up all hope

My experience the home swap thats good And easy

Waste of time and time wasters. I found oung women Homeswapper was rude. 1st one was reserve & quite.hung up on me when I was speaking. I had 2 block some of them because every time I asked their address, they was a long paused. They had no intention when there excuses, Oh I was busy.
Went from arrogant to worse. So I got my karma by telling them. Time wasters and told them how I felt. I blocked them. I went out my way to message them. The same houses and flats on there. No wonder 😔😴😔😴😔 half of people don't hav no luck. Or can't move. Never again I use this site.

Such a great site to find a new house or flat.
I managed to find a place where I call home and I'm so happy.
Give it a go if your looking to move