Swapping your property
You can swap your public housing property with other public housing tenants. This is called a mutual exchange.
Eligibility to swap properties
To swap your property with another tenant, all tenants from both homes need to:
- remain eligible for ongoing housing assistance
- have a reasonable need to move and be able to supply evidence to support their reason for moving
- be eligible for the number of bedrooms at the property
- have looked after their property properly, as outlined in the State tenancy agreement
- agree and sign a declaration to accept the property in its current condition
- have been a continuous tenant for the last 2 years
- have paid any arrears or maintenance debts in full.
We will consider mutual exchanges when:
- the properties are not high demand properties due to their features and location
- approving the mutual exchange will not have an unreasonable impact on other customers waiting for social housing.
Applying to swap properties
When you know tenants you would like to exchange properties with, all tenants should inspect each other’s homes to make sure they meet everyone’s needs.
If you agree to exchange properties, each household must:
- complete and sign an
- provide all the required evidence to support your application
- submit the form to your nearest Housing Service Centre.
What happens next
We assess each tenant’s application to check whether you’re eligible to swap homes. We also arrange a time to inspect your current property.
If we approve your application, you need to sign a new state tenancy agreement for the property you’re moving into. We regularly review your eligibility for housing to see if your circumstances have changed. Read more about ongoing eligibility reviews.