Moving home

One of the quickest ways to move is to find someone who wants to swap their property with yours. This is called a ‘mutual exchange’. It’s a particularly good option if you want or need to move to a smaller or larger property.

If you’re interested in applying, the best place to start is a national mutual exchange website called HomeSwapper (you can register for free online). It lists thousands of properties across London that are available for exchange. You can look at properties by price, area and number of bedrooms. 

These websites offer similar services:

• House Exchange
• Gumtree
• Loot

Also, speak to your housing officer, who can advise you if there are any potential properties in the area you would like to move to.

Locata

You can use the Locata choice-based lettings scheme to transfer to another one of our properties.

We only have a small number of properties available for customers to transfer to through Locata and it can take several years to move home this way. Swapping your home is normally the quickest and easiest way to move (see above).

Locata is used by many councils and housing associations in West London, and lets you 'bid' for a new available property to rent. Full details of how to bid can be found in the Locata scheme user guide. We'll give you a copy when you register with us or you can view the guide on the Locata website. Your housing officer can help you with any part of the process.

Everyone on Locata is assigned to one of four priority bands (A, B, C or D) based on their housing need. The person with the highest priority is the person in band A who has been registered for the longest time. The person with the lowest priority is the person in band D who has registered mostly recently.

Homefinder

You can use Homefinder to bid for vacant properties owned by both us and other registered housing associations.

This scheme covers properties in London and the rest of the UK, so is really useful if you're looking to move to a different part of the country. You can register through the website and the process is quick and simple; if you do have any difficulties contact your housing officer who will be happy to help.

A household member is someone who lives with a tenant as a family member, usually a child. This scheme gives adult household members the opportunity to move into their own, separate accommodation.

To apply for the scheme, complete the application form and return it to your housing manager or have your scheme questions answered.

Housing Moves lets social housing residents of London's biggest housing associations move home for training or job opportunities.

If you live in London and need to live closer to work or want to take up a job offer but are worried about the travelling, you can apply to move through this scheme.

Social landlords, like us, have a shortage of large, family-sized properties. If your house is too large for your needs, we will do all we can to help you move to a smaller home. This could also help you avoid the spare room subsidy (sometimes called the 'bedroom tax') if you are affected by it.

We can offer a variety of options to make your move easier. Contact your housing officer for more information.

You may be able to purchase your home. Read more about the Right to Buy and Right to Acquire schemes that are available.

Many temporary housing tenants end their tenancy when their local council places them in permanent housing. When a permanent rented property becomes available through your local council, you’ll move out of our property.

You’ll need to let us know as soon as you’ve been made an offer of permanent housing. You should also let your Housing Benefit office know.

When a lease for one of our temporary housing properties ends, we’ll either renew it (if given the option by the owner) or we’ll hand the property back to the private landlord.

If we renew the lease, you’ll be able to remain in your home on the new lease. Otherwise, the local authority that referred you to us will decide what alternative housing arrangements to make for you. The final decision about your housing situation lies with them. If possible, we will help you by moving you to another one of our temporary homes.