WANT TO SWAP ?
Christmas time is approaching so its time to re-watch every film that was written around the festive season and that includes ‘The Holiday’ about two single ladies who decide to swap HOmes for Christmas with life changing results. We cant promise jude law or jack black, however it is possible to experience a similar home swap holiday with the benefit of living like a local and a huge cost saving.
Devon Wilson
Lisheng Chang
Through Guardian Home Exchange you arrange to stay in another member's home in your chosen location while they stay in your home. By choosing to home swap rather than booking hotels or holiday rentals, you will drastically cut the cost of your holidays by taking advantage of free accommodation. You can arrange home swaps for weekend breaks, two week holidays or even for longer term home exchanges of several months. Most members arrange to swap homes at the same time (simultaneous home exchanges) but some members, especially those listing holiday/second homes, choose to exchange at different times (non simultaneous home exchanges).
Niklas Weiss
Carribean
In addition to the huge cost savings, home exchanging gives you the chance to really get a feel for the places you visit as you'll be staying in a real home and can get travel tips and advice from real locals - your home swap partners
Here are some Top Tips in Home Swapping:
Search home swap offers: and then contact any members whose offers look of potential interest.
Be proactive: when arranging a home swap it’s important to be as proactive as possible and start contacting members with initial enquiry messages rather than just sitting back and waiting for people to contact you. Many experienced home swappers will contact 20 or more with their initial 'feeler' messages before narrowing it down to suitable swap matches.
Be flexible: if possible, be flexible with your travel dates and destinations. Part of the fun of home exchange is discovering exciting exchange offers in places you may not have considered visiting before.
Allow plenty of time: it's important to give yourself plenty of time to find, agree and arrange your home exchanges. Start looking early!
Reply to all messages: as home exchanging is built on trust, it is very important to reply to all messages you receive, even if just to say "Thank you for your offer but I'm sorry I cannot take it up. Good luck with finding your home swap!".
Taylor Simpson
Sonnie Hiles
Set up a home swap agreement: between you and your home swap partners. If any aspects of your exchange arrangements don't appear to be covered, just add these to the agreement and contact your exchange partners to confirm. Creating a detailed swap agreement will help avoid any misunderstandings later.
Airline Tickets and Travel Insurance: as deposits/fares paid are usually non-refundable, do not buy tickets until you are sure you have a firm exchange agreement. When you both agree to go ahead and buy your tickets, you may like to exchange copies as an extra reassurance for both parties. When buying travel insurance, check that your policy will cover you if your exchange partners must cancel due to death or serious illness in the family (no policy will cover against a member just changing their mind about going ahead with an exchange and this is a small risk you must accept when arranging a home exchange holiday). Shop around for the best deals to suit your needs.
Communication is key: stay in regular contact with your home swap partners. Use the site's messaging system, emails, Skype and telephone to get to know your exchange partners.
Leon
Victor Smits
Provide (and ask for!) additional information: Once you have agreed a home swap with another member, provide them with any further information they have requested or may find useful. In turn, ask for any information not yet given which will help you with your plans.
*Note: if a swimming pool is included with the exchange home, and it is not clear if this is a private or shared pool, ask for this information if it is important to you.
Exchange references: It can be reassuring to exchange references before finalising your home exchange plans. Many members have home swap trip reports in their Guardian Home Exchange offers but, if they don't, ask for references and if you are an experienced home exchanger, offer to put them in touch with your previous home swap partners.
Home insurance: Check that your home insurance will be valid while your exchange partners occupy your home. Emphasise that they are non-paying guests. Most insurance companies will acknowledge that your home is at lower risk from burglary when it is occupied but your insurance cover may be invalid if the company has not been informed before your home exchange holiday.
Car Insurance: if you hope to exchange cars, again check that your home exchange partners will be covered to use your car (do not agree to exchange cars until you have checked with your car insurance provider). Also make sure to agree any restrictions on use or mileage.
Household bills: If you are exchanging for longer periods of time, you will want to agree on who will pay utility bills.
Jo de Vriend
Debby Hudson
Do not feel pressured: Never feel 'pressured' into agreeing something, such as caring for a pet or swapping cars. It is much better to face possibly causing some disappointment now than to let it pass and go on your holiday feeling resentful or worried.
Never accept an exchange offer if you feel in any way uneasy about it - better to risk losing the offer than to have regrets later.
Ask questions: If any information your exchange partner has provided is puzzling you, do ask for an explanation. There can occasionally be misunderstandings over terminology, even between English speakers.
Meet the member: It's not always possible but it can be nice to arrange an overlap with the member at one of your homes.
Out of bounds: If you have anything that you don't want used during the exchange (e.g. your work laptop), make certain your exchange partners are aware of what is 'out of bounds'; ideally, lock away anything not to be used.
Pets/plants: Many exchangers are quite happy to look after plants and/or pets for their home exchange partners. However, don't feel obliged to do so if you are worried about the responsibility.
Bobby Allen
Alex Holyoake
Take good care of the home entrusted to you and leave it as you found it (or better!). Follow agreed instructions for returning keys, dealing with laundry, etc. It is a nice gesture to leave a small present and note for your exchange partners to show how much you enjoyed your holiday in their home. The vast majority of home swappers are delighted with their home from home (even the smallest, most modest home is usually fair preferable to a cramped expensive hotel room). To check out homes available go to https://www.guardianhomeexchange.co.uk/
All photographs in this article, are representations and not actual homes available for swap.