Stockport Homes

Are you finding it hard to secure a move through the Homechoice social housing register? If so, Mutual Exchange can be the quickest way to choose your next home. 

If you are:

• A Stockport social housing tenant wanting to exchange outside of the borough
• A Stockport social housing tenant who wants to expand your Mutual Exchange property search options
• A social housing tenant in another area of the UK who wants to move to Stockport

Then the national Homeswapper service can help!

Homeswapper is the UK’s leading national Mutual Exchange service and advertises over 200,000 social housing properties.

Stockport Homes tenants can register FREE of charge by following this link: https://www.homeswapper.co.uk/

Please note: if you are a tenant with another Housing provider, there may be a small charge for this service. However, we would advise that you speak to your Landlord, who may be able to advise on other options.”

The National House Exchange service will cease to operate on 31st July 2026 and is no longer accepting new account applications.

If you have a current, active account with the National House Exchange, please be advised that your account will automatically end on 31st July 2026.

At Stockport Homes, we are in the process of arranging a new contract with an alternative provider and we will post important updates via the Latest News section of: Homechoice - Stockport Homes(opens in new window). Don’t worry, the new service will continue to be subscription free for all Stockport Homes tenants!

In the interim, Mutual Exchange service options available to social housing tenants include:

• If you are a Stockport Homes tenant or a Housing Association tenant residing in the Stockport Borough, you can register for Mutual Exchange here: Stockport Homechoice(opens in new window)
• If you are a Housing Association tenant residing in the Stockport Borough, please contact your Landlord directly for advice on National provider service options available to you
• If you reside outside the Stockport Borough or are a Stockport tenant looking to move out of the Borough, you may wish to register with HomeSwapper(opens in new window) (please note that charges may apply)

Under schedule 3 of the Housing Act 1985, Mutual Exchange swap requests can be declined on specific grounds.

The legal ‘Ground for Refusal 7 (Adapted Properties)’ states: ‘A Mutual Exchange swap request can be declined if a property features disabled adaptations and the incoming household does not have an assessed need for these adaptations.’

Therefore, to make best use of limited housing stock, we reserve the right to decline Mutual Exchange swap requests where an adaptation need would not be met by the exchange e.g.

• If you have been assessed as needing an adapted property by our medical officer, you can only complete a Mutual Exchange with a property that meets your assessed need
• If you have adaptations in your current property, you can only complete a Mutual Exchange with another tenant who has been assessed by our medical officer as needing the adaptations

If you have any queries in relation to this policy, please contact us by telephone: 0161 217 6016 (Option 2) or email: mutualexchange@stockporthomes.org

Medical assessment requests can be submitted for each household member. However, points will only be awarded to one household member (usually the household member with the most affected condition).

If you would like to tell us about a medical condition, disability or mobility problem which is being affected by where you currently live, please select the following option in section 8. of the online application form (‘Your Housing Need’):

‘ I, or a member of my household, have a long-term illness or disability which is being caused or impacted by where we live now’

Taking this step will enable you to complete a full medical questionnaire at Section 11. for up to 2 members of your household. If you need to tell us about additional household members, please use the space available in: ‘Details about any further relevant applicants with medical need’.

Please note: it’s important to complete all sections of the questionnaire as we are unable to make an accurate assessment of your needs if information is missing.

It is also important to provide documentary evidence to support the information contained in the medical questionnaire. This should be dated within the last 2 months and must clearly show your full name and current address. Example documents include:

• GP print outs
• Document(s) from a medical professional confirming your diagnosis
• Copies of prescriptions or screenshots of medication

Please allow up to 6-weeks for the assessment outcome to be communicated via a letter to your Homechoice account.

Further information including a video guide, can be viewed here: Medical Assessments guide