Transfers and Mutual Exchanges

Transfers

If you are a current council tenant, and want to apply for a transfer of housing, you should do this through our online housing application.

Reasons why you might want to apply for a transfer include: overcrowding or occasional overcrowding (for example if you have children who often stay over), your bedroom sizes are too small for people to share, or your property is too big.  We also accept applications for transfer as a result of a functional assessment or if you require a change of area.

We will place you on the housing list based on the number of points you have when we have assessed your application.  We will also come out and inspect your current property before we make any offer.  Your current property should be clean and in good decorative order, and any repairs must be carried out before you leave the property.

If you refuse two reasonable offers of accommodation within a period of one year, we will not make any others of accommodation to you for six months from the date of your last offer.  If you do accept a new property, you will need to sign a new tenancy agreement.

Mutual exchange

A mutual exchange is when two or more tenants swap their properties to better meet their housing needs.  You can exchange with another Moray Council tenant, a tenant of a housing association, or a tenant of another council.

The first step is to register with House Exchange.  House Exchange is an online tool that can help you find someone to swap homes with by mutual exchange.

Once you have found your exchange partner(s) and have agreed a mutual exchange in principle, you must also seek our written permission to exchange your property.  You can get this by filling in a Mutual Exchange application form.  Remember we may refuse your application, but we will write to you with our reasons why.

Before you move house, you will need to make sure you owe no rent to us, you have had a gas and safety check within the last 12 months.  When you exchange and move into your new property, you will need to sign a new tenancy agreement.

You can read an article about the tenant's experience of the Mutual Exchange.

If you need more information please contact your Area Housing Officer.