Login Not a member? Register here
Here is a list of the most commonly asked questions at ukholidayswapshop.
We have divided the questions into 4 sections for easy access. Please click to select the relevant section. If you can’t find what you are looking for there is more information in our guide to happy swapping, and remember you can always contact us directly - for information see our Contact Us page.
A house swap is an arrangement where 2 people exchange their homes for the period of their holiday or for any other purpose, with no money changing hands.
Using ukholidayswapshop couldn’t be easier. When you become a member you list your home and state your swapping preferences. You then contact other members on the site to arrange a swap or you can list on the Swappers Forum and wait for other members to contact you; at ukholidayswapshop we recommend that you do both.
The benefits can be summed up in four words: cash, convenience, co-operation and community:
People like you! Singles, couples, those with children and those without, young and elderly, able-bodied or people with disabilities – there is no reason why anyone shouldn’t be able to find compatible partners.
Nobody is excluded, and there is no reason why you should not swap if you rent. However, we do strongly advise you to obtain the consent of your landlord first.
This is the question most frequently asked by people new to the idea of holiday home swapping. Our response is: could a stranger trust their home to you? Successful swapping depends entirely on mutual respect and mutual trust: you treat someone else’s home as you would like them to treat yours. In any case, by the time you come to swap, your email and telephone contacts with your swapping partners will mean that they are no longer strangers. Furthermore, evidence suggests that you are far more likely to be burgled when your house is left empty!
You don’t have to live in a National Park or a beauty spot in order to attract potential swappers, and you’d probably be surprised how attractive your location is to some holiday seekers. If you live in a city, for instance, there are many people willing to swap the peace and quiet of where they live for the livelier lifestyle where you are. The trick is to make the most of your listing, by including places of interest, attractions, entertainment and night life accessible from your home.
Most swaps will take place at the same time, but in the case of people with more than one home (i.e. a holiday home) it’s possible that the swap won’t be simultaneous.
To become a member you simply list your home on our website and pay your membership fee. The whole process need only take ten to twenty minutes.
Membership currently costs £19.95 a year and there is no limit to the number of swaps you can arrange.
No, once you have paid your annual membership fee, there are no further fees to pay and you can arrange as many breaks away as you like.
You pay your membership fee via Paypal using the link on our website. Please note that you don’t have to have a Paypal account as Paypal accepts all major credit and debit cards. If you are unhappy at making an online payment, we do accept cheques.
We encourage all our members to keep their house details and swapping preferences up to date.
To make these changes - log on (you will be taken to your Members Area page) and click on your property reference link (under the title 'My Property and Swapping Information'). Make the required changes to your listing and please fill in any new fields. Then, when you have finished, click 'submit property information' - your changes will be uploaded to the site immediately.
Please note that, once you are logged in, you can access your Members Area page at any time by clicking on 'My Members Area' link at the top of any web page.
Yes.. please do.. we encourage all our members to add a picture. Members who have taken the trouble to upload photographs receive far more swap enquiries and are more successful at arranging swaps. If you need any help in doing so - please email your images to us and we will happily upload them for you.
Firstly make sure your pictures are the correct size - the ideal size for the internet is 800 x 600, no bigger than 5Mb and in landscape. Then, log on to the site and click on your property reference link (under the title 'My Property and Swapping Information'). Go to the heading 'Photographs' and click on 'browse' - you will now have access to your computer's desktop (including your pictures). Select a picture of your home, click 'open', then click 'add photo'. Assuming your picture is the correct size - the photo should upload straight away.
Repeat the process until you have the desired number of images - select your favourite picture to be your 'main' one and then click 'submit property information'.
The chances are that your pictures are just too big (see above). Why don't you just email them over to us - we have this neat little tool that does it all in less than a minute. NB. when you do send us your images - don't forget to let us know your property reference too!
It is easy to list a home (or a second property) on the site. Log on and click the 'add a new property' link under the title 'My Property and Swapping Information'. Fill out the property listing form and, when you have finished, select 'submit property information'. Providing you have paid your membership fee, your home will go live on the site immediately.
You log on to the site using your registered email address and password. If you have forgotten which email address you registered with - please email us with your name and address and we will forward this information on to you. If you have forgotton your password - fill in the 'lost you password' form and a copy will be immediately sent to your registered email address.
To change your contact details - log on and click 'update my contact details' link. Once you have made the required changes, click 'submit'. Please note that when you change your email address, we will immediately send you an email to your new email address. In this email there will be a link for you to click so that your new email address can be validated.
There are a number of ways you can search for potential swaps:
To make an enquiry, you need to be logged on. When you see a property you are interested in, click 'Enquire about a swap'. Fill in the Enquiry email form (your chance to introduce yourself, say why you want to swap etc) and fill in your proposed swap dates. This email will be sent to your potential swapper; you will get a copy of this email too.
The enquiry email that is sent out has an action required section. If the recipient of the swap enquiry is interested in discussing the possibility of a swap - they select Option 1 and the email addresses of both members get exchanged via email. Alternatively, if the recipient of the swap enquiry is not interested in a swap - they select Option 2 and a polite decline email is sent out to the initial enquirer.
You will receive your swap enquiries by email. Please take the time to read every enquiry you receive and reply to them. If you are interested in a swap and wish to discuss it further please select Option 1 (click the link to exchange email addresses via email). Alternatively if, for whatever reason, you are unable to swap, please select Option 2 (click on the 'polite decline' email link which will send a polite decline email on your behalf).
Yes. We urge all members to respond to every enquiry email promptly. No one likes to feel they are being ignored and, as this is essentially a friendly site, it is only courteous to reply to every enquiry email.
We often get asked this and our response continues to be.. Firstly, take time to write a proper description of your home and the tourist attractions in your area (for adults and families) and upload at least one picture. Secondly, be proactive: make as many swap enquiries as you can until you secure a swap. Never, ever get disheartened, some members have to send out as many as a dozen enquiries before they get to arrange a swap, whille for others, it only takes a few.
It is also helpful to be flexible and open-minded about swaps in parts of the UK you may not have previously considered: yes, a swap in Cornwall would be great but... Cornwall is not the only area in the UK with lovely beaches; yes, a city break in London would be brilliant but.. have you ever considered having a city break in either Liverpool, Manchester, Edinburgh or even Glasgow (my home city - trust me, you would not be disappointed if you went there - it's fab!).
Using e-mail and the telephone, there’s no reason why arranging a swap should take more than a couple of weeks. But please TAKE YOUR TIME – make sure that you have agreed on all the possible issues well in advance; that way you can embark on your swap with shared confidence. It is also worth noting that many of our members like to arrange their swaps quite a few months in advance - so it is usually a good idea not to leave it to the last minute!
There may be some circumstances e.g. family emergency, illness, accident or bereavement in which you have to cancel a swap. In all other circumstances we would hope that members treat each other with honesty and respect and that once a swap has been agreed both parties will honour that agreement.
Some swappers will not welcome children or pets into their homes. Where both partners have families or pets, however, it can be an advantage to take on an already child- or pet- friendly home. It’s very important that arrangements of this sort are decided amicably, and well in advance.
Most insurers are happy to continue to offer full insurance for up the thirty days if your house is occupied by guests, and because no money changes hands in a swap, your insurance should not be affected. However, we strongly advise that if you are in any doubt about insurance, you should contact your insurer and make certain before going ahead.
What you allow your swap partner to use is entirely up to you; it is important that the details of what is or isn’t accessible to them are made clear and agreed beforehand, to avoid any misunderstandings or problems afterwards.
Most people think their houses are quite ordinary! You can only be sure of finding one that matches yours by asking lots of questions and only agree to swap when you are satisfied.
You could ask a neighbour to help by holding keys for your swap partner. If this is not possible, why not ask a friend to meet them? In any event it is important to tell your neighbours that a swap is imminent.
For your own peace of mind we recommend that articles of intrinsic or sentimental value be locked away, if necessary in a locked room.
Accidents can happen and the best policy is to contact your swap partner immediately and own up! Suitable arrangements for repair or replacement can usually be agreed amicably.
Please refer to our Guide to Happy Swapping and, if you still need further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.