Move home

If your circumstances change, you can apply to move to another of our homes or a home with another social housing provider. For example, you may want to move to a smaller property because your children have left home, or you may need a larger property because you’ve recently had a baby.

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Home Find A Home Move Home

How to apply to move home

We cannot take direct applications

If you’re looking for a home in Gloucestershire, you can apply through Homeseeker Plus.

If you’re looking for a home in Herefordshire, you can apply through HomePoint Herefordshire.

With both Homeseeker Plus and HomePoint Herefordshire, you’ll need to create an online account. The relevant council will assess your application and give you a branding based on your housing needs. You can then check available homes and bid for them online.

If you’re successful in a bid for a WHA property, we’ll contact you at the end of the cycle to progress your application.

Changes to Homeseeker Plus in September 2020

If you’ve applied for housing through Homeseeker Plus before, please know that the system changed in September 2020.

Now, rather than properties being advertised weekly, new homes can be uploaded between Monday and Friday every week. Therefore, we recommend that you setup property alerts so that you’re notified when a home that meets  your criteria becomes open for bidding.

Swap homes (also called a mutual exchange)

You can also apply to swap homes with another tenant who rents their home from us or another social housing provider. We’re part of HomeSwapper, a national service that allows you to view and consider potential swaps online. You can register with HomeSwapper here.

Yes, you do need permission to swap homes with another tenant. If more than one landlord is involved, each must give their consent.

You must also have been a tenant for at least 12 months.

All parties will need to complete formal legal paperwork to complete the exchange.

It might, because when you swap homes, you take on the tenancy of the person you swap with.

Local authority tenants usually have a Secure Tenancy with rights set out in Acts of Parliament.

Housing association tenants usually have an Assured Tenancy with similar rights to those in our Tenancy Agreement.

Tenancies are usually swapped in England, Wales and Northern Ireland through a “deed of assignment.” This means you effectively take over the existing agreement of the person you are swapping with. Different landlords may have slightly different tenancy conditions.

If you want to swap homes with someone who rents from another landlord, it’s a good idea to ask the landlord for a copy of their Tenancy Agreement so you can compare it to the one you have now.

Not necessarily. Both your rent and service charges may change. You should check this with the new landlord before you agree to swap.

Yes. They may refuse a swap if, for example:

  • Either tenant has been served a Notice of Seeking Possession, or legal proceedings have begun.
  • Either home is adapted or designed to help a disabled tenant, and the new tenant doesn’t need this support.
  • Either home is too large or too small for either tenant.

If you’re not sure whether the swap can take place, please contact us for advice.

Yes. If you’ve broken your tenancy conditions your landlord may only agree for you to swap homes if you comply with them before you move. For example, they may not agree to the move until your rent is fully paid up to date.

If your swap is refused, you can appeal against the decision. We’ll give you information on independent advisors in the Forest of Dean who can help you do this.

If you move without permission, you will have lost security of tenure and could be evicted.

No. If you give or receive money or goods to get a swap, you may be evicted and, in some cases, fined.

No. We do not do repairs just because you’re swapping homes. If any repairs are necessary, we do them in line with our normal policy.

Redecoration is your responsibility.

Yes, more than two households can apply to swap homes.

Apply to swap homes

(make a mutual exchange)

Complete an applications form here

Find out more

You can find out more about swapping your home (making a mutual exchange) in our:

Mutual exchange policy

Management moves

A management move is when a household moves for safety or welfare reasons, as recommended by the police, a partner organisation or agreed through a multi-agency need and risk assessment panel. These moves are often complex and require an urgent response or immediate temporary accommodation.

If any of our tenants have to make a management move, we help them get the support they need from the local authority. This may include a homeless representation so that the right support package is put in place.

In an emergency or under exceptional circumstances, we’ll consider an internal direct let without advertising the vacant property with Gloucestershire Homeseekers or HomeBid Herefordshire. We also refer to these cases as management moves. We prioritise them by the date they were approved and normally only make one offer of alternative accommodation.

If you think you’re entitled to a management move, please call us on 01594 838 000 or email [email protected].

Moving home due to an emergency

If you need to move due to an emergency, you must talk to the local authority’s Housing Options Team. They’ll make you an appointment with an advisor who’ll talk to you about your options and give you advice on securing temporary alternative accommodation.

You can call the Housing Options Team on 01594 810 000 or email them at [email protected]. For out-of-hours emergencies, please call 01452 614 194.

The council have a legal obligation to provide temporary accommodation in an emergency, if it meets their qualifying criteria.

You can get independent legal advice from:

Citizens Advice on 0300 330 9006 or at gloscab.org.uk

Shelter on 0808 800 4444 or at shelter.org.uk

flood damage Wyedean housing association