The Vanderpumps on vacation
Would you trade your house with a stranger in exchange for a cheaper vacation? Or would the idea of someone sleeping in your bed and using your kitchen while you’re away turn you off?
Henry Vanderpump, 42, his wife Elliw, 39, and their two young children have had two house swaps in the past two years and have another planned this summer.
In each case, they stayed in another family’s house, while that family stayed in theirs, a five-bedroom house in Tarporley, in the Cheshire countryside.
Neither party pays anything for their accommodation, although they pay an annual fee to Home Link, the classifieds site they use to book the trips.
The Vanderpumps’ Danish hosts let them use their electric bikes
So far, the Vanderpumps have stayed in similarly sized properties in Hamburg and Copenhagen, and Henry claims to have saved around £2,500 on accommodation per trip, plus a further £700 on transport, as they also swapped cars.
“Before, we had one party per summer, now we have two [because of the savings we make from home exchanges]. And kids love the idea of living in someone else’s house while that person lives in theirs. »
Home exchanges have been around since at least the 1950s, but a growing number of people appear to be adopting them due to the rising cost of living, or simply to experience a new type of travel, commentators say.
“We lived like a German family”
Henry says the best thing about house swapping isn’t the savings, but being able to visit places off the tourist trail and have a “truly authentic experience.”
When the family traveled to Hamburg in 2024, they stayed in a suburb and lived “like a German family” for a week, exploring lakes on the outskirts of the city recommended by their hosts.
Last year, they stayed in “a very Scandinavian house” in the suburbs of Copenhagen, which was “one level and clutter-free”.
“They also left us several electric bikes to use,” says Henry. “We cycled to the beach, swam in the Baltic and tried the recommended restaurants.”
May Burrough went on a house exchange trip to the Swiss Alps
Some people aren’t comfortable with the idea of strangers staying in their home, and for those who are, there’s a lot of prep and tidying up to do before their guests arrive.
Home exchangers may also need to be more flexible about when they travel – Home Link says members typically send 10 to 15 messages before receiving an offer.
“Last-minute bookings don’t always work,” says May Burrough, 38, an operations manager in London who has completed 34 house exchanges in the past three years using HomeExchange.
Rather than making direct exchanges, she hosts people in her apartment in central London while she stays abroad with her partner in France.
This way, May accumulates points on the platform that she can use to book trips at other times.
How to make a successful home exchange
If you place your accommodation on a booking platform, indicate the ad clearly, with plenty of information and attractive photos.
Stay in touch before and during the exchange to build trust and avoid misunderstandings
Declutter and free up space in cabinets, drawers and cupboards that your guests will use.
Leave a comprehensive guide for customers, covering things like appliance instructions, waste collection and emergency information.
Share local recommendations to help them get the most out of their stay
Lock up valuable items to prevent them from being damaged
Check that your home insurance contract offers you the guarantees you need
Sources: Home Link, HomeExchange, Association of British Insurers
May estimates she saved between £5,000 and £8,000 through exchanges in places like Barcelona and the Swiss Alps.
She loves the “community feel” of home exchanges and says she’s only had one “semi-negative experience” when a reservation she thought was for an entire apartment turned out to be a room in a shared apartment.
As for getting ready before guests arrive, she says she tries to make sure her apartment is clean and frees up space in her closet. “I provide clean sheets and towels. I lock up my valuables.”
Petra Novak from London uses house swaps to travel across Europe
The main home exchange platforms monitor their members and invite them to review each other.
But the Association of British Insurers advises hosts to check that their home and contents insurance provides the cover they need before welcoming guests.
He also says it’s worth checking your travel insurance before staying with someone else to check it covers accidental damage.
Petra Novak, who uses house swapping site Kindred, says the platform’s own damage protection policy has covered her in the rare instance that something was damaged in her London apartment.
The 34-year-old, who uses the platform when working remotely across Europe, claims to have saved between £18,000 and £20,000 through house swaps.
She says she was nervous about swapping homes with strangers at first, but never had a bad experience.
However, for added peace of mind, she likes to check the social media profiles of potential guests, adding that a personal touch can help build trust before an exchange.
“Personally, I love it when someone submits their booking request with a nice introduction letter, telling me about themselves and why they would visit London.”
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