House Swapping - any recommended sites or experience?

[Bindibuys]

Starting to look at our R & R vacation 2025 (that's Redundancy and Retirement)
As we would like to spend several weeks in the UK, the thought of house swapping came into the conversation.
Has anyone here had any experience with house swapping with pax in the UK, or any swap sites you have heard good results with.

 

[Mwenenzi]

As well as house swapping is house sitting. Can include looking after pets. One of the main reasons house owners do this.
Google is your friend.

 

[VPS]

Very interested in this too but I had a nightmare tenant last year so I'm a bit reluctant but would love to do it.

 

[pagingjoan]

Have done this in the dim, distant past, with mixed success - and some fun adventures.

My references would be way out of date but if I come across any recommendations from friends who have tried it more recently, I will post here.

We are still close friends with people we met through house swaps back in the 1990's, which must be a recommendation!

In a more contemporary timeframe, I have friends who do house and pet sitting now, around Australia and overseas. One has recently spent a month in a beautiful riyad in Morocco, where she was charged with looking after two turtles - and had a full time housekeeper to look after her!

 

[TheRealTMA]

FWIW: A friend of ours does a lot of house swaps in many countries and uses homeexchange.com and homelink.org

 

[Bindibuys]

FWIW: A friend of ours does a lot of house swaps in many countries and uses homeexchange.com and homelink.org

thank you.

 

[VPS]

I'd be interested in others experiences with this - I don't want to be committed to looking after animals though

 

[Bindibuys]

From perusing some of the sites, it looks like each listing will tell you what is expected when you stay at their home, and whether for example a car is provided. I have not seen many that have pets, and agree it's not something I would want to do. I am on holidays, not "house sitting".

 

[pagingjoan]

From perusing some of the sites, it looks like each listing will tell you what is expected when you stay at their home, and whether for example a car is provided. I have not seen many that have pets, and agree it's not something I would want to do. I am on holidays, not "house sitting".

Yes, there are dedicated sites for house and/or pet sitting.
It is a popular phenomenon
I do know people who have moved from one house sitting gig to another for a year or more.

 

[Traveln]

If it's any help, there's someone that has researched all the house swap websites and put together a comprehensive list/spreadsheet of pros/cons etc using any of them. That website is: sharetraveler.com
Another suggestion was to try a house swap in your country first to see how it works and anything you need to learn from it. There are also several blogs about house swapping with lots of good tips. Google them.

My parents did one a few years ago and were very happy. They live in Brisbane and swapped to the Netherlands.

 

[tgh]

We are now looking at over $100 day for animal care and are somewhat reluctantly considering house /pet sitters.
We had a bad experience more than 30 years ago but the taste still lingers..

 

[dxwell]

Related data point: Pre COVID we had house sitters in our Brisbane home looking after 2 dogs and 2 cats while we were OS.
Different people each time but it worked out very well for us.

 

[pagingjoan]

We are now looking at over $100 day for animal care and are somewhat reluctantly considering house /pet sitters.
We had a bad experience more than 30 years ago but the taste still lingers..

Where are you located, tgh?
PM me, if you prefer.

 

[Bundy Bear]

Starting to look at our R & R vacation 2025 (that's Redundancy and Retirement)
As we would like to spend several weeks in the UK, the thought of house swapping came into the conversation.
Has anyone here had any experience with house swapping with pax in the UK, or any swap sites you have heard good results with.

@straitman to the white phone, I am sure he can give you some pointers, surprised he hasn’t replied but that’s probably he is on a cruise.

 

[tgh]

Where are you located, tgh?

Brisbane south east
Happy to chat by Pm if you can help

 

[pagingjoan]

Where are you located, tgh?

Brisbane south east
Happy to chat by Pm if you can help

Have sent a message, tgh.

 

[Brissy1]

Where are you located, tgh?
PM me, if you prefer.

So, who's going to set up the spreadsheet for aff house swap/pet visits?

 

[Bindibuys]

I wont mention names here, but we did have a AFF member come and house sit for us several years ago. It was a flippant remark, that ended up being a 6 week gig.

 

[Bundy Bear]

I wont mention names here, but we did have a AFF member come and house sit for us several years ago. It was a flippant remark, that ended up being a 6 week gig.

I think if you have been reading AFF you would have an idea who it is, maybe just been here too long.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I wont mention names here, but we did have a AFF member come and house sit for us several years ago. It was a flippant remark, that ended up being a 6 week gig.

TMI!