Mutual Exchange Plus

User Guide

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Page no About Mutual Exchange Plus

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Register for a Mutual Exchange

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Create a Mutual Exchange advert

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Edit your advert

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Add a photo to your advert

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View your swap matches

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Request a swap with another resident

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How do you apply for an exchange once you have found someone to swap with

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How to search for a Mutual Exchange without creating an advert

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Other useful websites

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Tips & Advice 18

Contents of this guide

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About Mutual Exchange Plus

Mutual Exchange Plus (MX+) is a free service which allows

tenants to look for and advertise properties to exchange with. It

can be used to view all properties currently advertised for

exchange, and gives you a way to promote your own property to

other people.

It’s a bit like a speed-dating style website for housing – you can

use it to look for a match, see who is interested in your property

and then arrange an exchange with them.

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How to register & create a Mutual Exchange advert

1. Visit www.homefindersomerset.co.uk

2. Click Login/My Account

3. If already registered, log in and skip to action no ?

4. If not registered, click ‘Register’

5. Complete Registration

“From date” – when did you move to your current address?

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6. Registration Confirmation

From here you can create your Mutual Exchange advert or you can do this at a later time

PIN = Date of birth (dd/mm/yyyy)

7. Create Mutual Exchange advert

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In ‘Marketing information’ give as much information and detail about your property and any special requirements you have for your new home. This is your opportunity to really ‘sell’ your property.

Include:

• Is there a local connection criteria for your property?

• Garden – is it private? A good size? Room to play? Grass?

• The area – nice neighbours? Quiet? Near to amenities? Bus stop? Schools?

• Heating – gas central heating? Electric storage? Air source heating?

• Bedrooms – double/singles? • Improvements – new kitchen? New

bathroom? • Bathroom – bath? Shower? • Decoration • Other – views? Fireplace? Parking?

Storage? Gets sun during the day? Pets allowed? Age restrictions?

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7. Sign up to a National Database to widen your search areas and to allow more residents to access your advert.

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Once your advert has been approved you can log on to edit your advert, add a photo or view your swap matches

How to edit your advert, add a photo or view your swap matches

8. Mutual Exchange Advert Confirmation

Yarlington will now have to approve your MEX advert before you can search for matches

1. Log on using your Reference number, Pin number and password

2. Click on My Mutual Exchange to see a summary screen

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3. Decide what you want to do from this screen

Change your requirements, telephone number, email address

Adverts only last for 6 months. You will receive notification that your advert will soon expire, renew it here

You can see what your advert will look like on the website

If you decide you no longer want to look for a Mutual Exchange you can remove your advert here

4. Add a photo to my advert

Click on ‘add a photo to my advert’.

Click browse and select the picture you would like to upload to your advert.

Select from the drop down list what the picture is of.

Click upload picture.

Yarlington will now have to approve your picture before it’s added to your advert

You can add more than 1 picture

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5. View swap suggestions

This will display a list of properties which are a match. Use the key to determine whether the match is a good match or not depending on your requirements.

Click ‘View details’ to see the advert details

This shows how your requirements and their requirements match

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From here you can do 2 things. You can contact the resident via their contact details they have left on their advert. Or you can click ‘apply now’, then click ‘I wish to be considered for this property’.

You will then see this message

Click on ‘My account’ / ‘My Mutual Exchange’ and you will see a list of swap requests. This is a list of all the properties that you requested and a list of people that have requested your property for a swap.

Click ‘Show Options’ on a swap that you have requested – you can either retract the request by clicking ‘I’ve changed my mind, I don’t want to swap’ or you can send a message. This can be used if you want to ask questions about the property.

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6. To send a message

There are a few opportunities to send another user a message. Click ‘Send this person a message’.

The other person will see:

When they click the link they will see the messages:

To reply, they will click reply – type message and click ‘submit message’.

All messages are monitored by the landlords

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When the resident that you have requested a swap with logs on they will see this:

They will click on the link which will take them to this screen which gives them the details about you and your swap request. If they click this link they will be able to see your advert.

When they click ‘Action required’ they will have 3 options. To accept the swap, to decline the swap or to send you a message.

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When they click ‘Yes I’d like to swap’ they will see this status on their ‘My swap requests’ page.

Their options at this stage are:

From your account you will see this screen:

Click on

You will see this under ‘My swap requests’. You now have the final say if you want the swap request to go ahead or not.

Both people wanting to exchange will need to view the other property at least once. You should arrange this with the other tenant.

Please be safety conscious when viewing a property and when inviting others to view your property

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Your options at this stage are to go ahead and let landlords know you want to swap or you can stop the swap at this stage or you can send a message.

Once you have clicked ‘I want to go ahead so let our landlords know’ you will see this under your swap requests.

The landlord(s) will now begin their processes e.g. sending out application forms, inspections, other necessary checks.

Once the swap has been approved you will see this message under ‘My swap requests’.

Please note: If there is more than 1 landlord then BOTH landlords must approve the exchange before it can go ahead. If 1 landlord

approves the exchange and the other refuses then the swap will not go ahead.

Once you have moved your details under ‘My account’ will look like this:

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How to search for a Mutual Exchange without registering or creating an advert

1. Visit www.homefindersomerset.co.uk

2. Click ‘Property Search’

3. Click ‘Advanced Search’

4. Select your search requirement and answer all the relevant questions. Select ‘Mutual Exchange Property’

5. Click ‘Search’. The adverts will now be displayed.

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Homefinder – www.homefindersomerset.co.uk

Facebook – www.facebook.com - Mutual Exchange groups and pages. Carry out a search as there are many out there.

Homeswapper – www.homeswapper.co.uk

Exchange Locata – www.exchangelocata.org.uk

Gumtree – www.gumtree.com

Other useful websites

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Tips & Advice

Photos

Take the following photos to make your advert stand out:

• A good exterior shot shows the whole property • The living room • The outside areas – gardens, patio, shed, driveways • The main bedroom • The kitchen and other eating areas e.g. dining area • The bathroom – bath or shower

Tips for taking the best shots:

• Remove personal clutter; don’t have too many ‘nick-nacks’ or ornaments on show. It needs to look inviting, but not too ‘lived in’

• Open all blinds and curtains to maximise natural light • Pay attention to detail – straighten out cushions, make

the beds, hoover…. • Do not turn on TVs or make them the focus of your

pictures • Take shots from a variety of heights and angles so you

can select those that look best and show as much of the room, or its best features as possible

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Viewings

• Create the right impression by tidying your garden, mowing your lawn……a good excuse for a spring clean!

• Keep your house clean and tidy and de-clutter. Get rid of anything you don’t need. This will save you time and effort when you move.

• What will you take with you when you move? • What will you leave behind when you move? • Make sure you have another adult with you during

viewings and make sure you take another adult with you when you view another person’s house

Questions to ask

• Can I move with my current tenancy? • Will my tenancy conditions change when I move? • Is the property suitable for my needs? • Can I afford to move? (removals, new carpets, decoration) • Is the new property in the right location for me? • Will my finances be better or worse after I’ve moved? • Do I have rent arrears which will need to be cleared before

I can move?

Tips & Advice

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Are you ready to move?

• Sell or recycle unwanted items • Throw away all household & garden rubbish • Do you know a man with a van? • Get a quote for removals – how much will it cost? • Start to collect boxes and get packing! • Are there any outstanding repairs to report? • Is your cooker gas or electric? Will it work in the new

property?

Get ready for moving day!

Tips & Advice