How you could use your own home to get a free luxury holiday by swapping with strangers
FANCY a free luxury holiday? It’s yours – just as long as you are prepared to let strangers into your home.
House-swapping has been growing in popularity since the idea featured in hit 2006 rom-com The Holiday, starring Cameron
Diaz, Kate Winslet and Jude Law.
The tale of two disillusioned women finding happiness through a two-week holiday swap has inspired thousands of other Brits to seek similar adventures.
Not only do you get to stay in huge properties but it’s also dirt cheap as you only have to pay for your flights.
But although a great money-saver, it takes time and effort to set up.
Here’s our easy guide.
PICK YOUR PLATFORM
There are various house-swapping websites, notably Home Base Holidays, Love Home Swap and Home Exchange, containing thousands of listings of people looking for potential swaps.
Most offer a free trial of two weeks before charging a membership fee — which you’ll need to pay if you want to continue talking to potential swap partners.
Home Exchange allows you to chat to other site users, plan your trip and you only pay once the arrangements are finalised.
Fees very. Home Base Holidays — which has seen its membership grow by 20 per cent over the last year — offers a six-month membership option at £29 and one-year membership at £49.
Love Home Swap costs between £96 to £144 a year depending on the level of service you want, like if you want free airport lounges or to list more than one home.
With Home Exchange, you either pay £10 per night of exchange, or £110 a year to do as many exchanges as you want.
When listing your home sell it as best you can, mentioning interesting attractions nearby and suggested activities. Post lots of pictures of your home sparkling clean and tidy and make your rules clear, including whether you’ll allow pets, children and indoor smokers.
DO YOUR RESEARCH
Think carefully about potential exchange partners.
What kind of holiday you are looking for? There’s a wide array available all over the world, including quirky ones like a 1960s renovated houseboat called Misty Lady in Rochdale as well as stunning Balinese villas, apartments on tiny Italian islands and cottages in the Grenadines.
Owners usually swap at the same time but not always. You may visit a house while the owners are away somewhere else, and then they may come to your house when you’re away another time. Love Home Swap allows members to do direct swaps, but also has a points system where you earn points for hosting and spend them by staying in someone’s house.
Companies don’t usually visit properties before taking them on, so take a good look at the photos and feedback and talk to the owner over the phone before making a commitment.
Usually each owner continues to pay their own utility bills. Some swap cars as well as houses - which will likely require specialist insurance. Owners may also want gardens watered or pets looked after so be prepared to negotiate.
BEFORE THE SWAP
Make sure your home insurer knows what you are doing and is fine with it. Otherwise you may need to get a new policy.
Give the house a good clean. Mark Sealey, of Home Base Holidays, said guests want to stay in a real home — not a showroom — but it must be clean, tidy and welcoming. Lock away any valuable items and personal documents. Some people lock them in a room that is out of bounds for guests.
It’s also good to leave some milk, bread and refreshments.
To save any unnecessary phone-calls it’s worth writing a ”how to” house guide covering the thermostat, TV, etc.
After staying in someone’s home, swappers often leave a thank you note and gift for the owners. They’re expected to leave the house in the same condition as they found it.
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Couple's 21 homes in 10 years
RETIRED couple Bruce and June Thompson, 77 and 74, from Dorking, have done 21 exchanges over ten years.
They’ve since been to Australia, New Zealand, Florida, France, Cyprus, Portugal and Spain using the Home Base Holidays site.
They liked their Spanish swap so much they now have a regular arrangement with the same couple where they swap homes for up to six weeks a year three times a year in spring, summer and autumn. They also consider other swaps as they get two enquiries a year.
Bruce, a former director of an investment magazine, said: “We stay in their beautiful apartment in a five-star complex in Marbella overlooking golf courses with a seaview. The English couple who own it stay in our apartment in Surrey as it’s near their children in Guildford. It works perfectly.”
The couple say swapping is saving them around 60 per cent on the usual cost of a similar holiday, including flights and all-inclusive accommodation, which would be around £3,500.
They pay just £1,350 for their swap, including two flights at £350, taxis at £100 and eating out, £500.
It amounts to £950, a saving of around 70 per cent on the original cost.
Bruce said: “In our 21 exchanges we’ve made lots of friends. You meet some lovely people. We can do two or three holidays a year now whereas before we could never do up to six weeks at a time, and certainly not long haul. We have had some wonderful holidays.”
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