www.homebase-hols.com                                                                                                                     July 2012 (issue 87)

Home swap tips and pointers  

Shown below are some basic tips and pointers on arranging your home swap. A more detailed list along with a home exchange agreement template can be found in the How it Works section of the website.

• Clean, clean, clean: it should be taken as said that both homes will be clean and tidy for guests and left in the same condition at the end of the swap.

• Create a reference folder: Create a welcome folder for your exchange guest with useful information e.g. local attractions, useful phone numbers, transport info, household how-to's, pet care, etc. This can be kept for reference by future guests.

• Insurance: Inform your home insurance and, if agreeing a car swap, car insurance company well before your departure date.

• Smokers / Non smokers: If you are a non-smoker exchanging with a smoker you may want to include a condition in the agreement that your exchange partners smoke only outside your home.

• Children: If you have agreed to swap homes with a family with a toddler, try to make sure your home is a safe environment (you may agree to child-proof your home as far as possible). See also a recent post, Home exchange with young children: choosing compatible home swap partners.

• Pets and plants: If you have agreed to accept pets as part of the exchange make sure to clarify any do's and don'ts with your guests. If you have agreed to provide pet or plant care make sure you know exactly what is expected before you arrive.

• Vegetarian? If you are a vegetarian and don't want your pans used to cook meat - add this to your exchange agreement.

Do send us your tips and suggestions: anything you would have found useful before you had your first exchange. We'll add the most useful tips to the guidelines and address particular issues in future newsletters and on the blog. Send us your suggestions... 

Home insurance: recommend an insurance company?  

Household insurance policies generally remain valid when homes are occupied by non-paying home exchange guests (most insurance companies acknowledge that a lived in, cared for, home is much safer than a home left empty). However, a few members (only in the UK it seems) find that their insurance companies refuse to provide cover, even for an additional premium, during an exchange. It is important to stress to your insurance company that you are not letting your home and that your guests will be looking after your home while you away. Otherwise, the staff member taking your call may assume you are letting 'strangers' stay in your home.  

It is very difficult to recommend particular companies when either policies on home exchange guests may change or, perhaps more likely, different staff give different answers, or some members may assume too much knowledge of the home exchange concept when contacting their insurance, thus causing alarm and a negative response. For this reason, we like to keep our list of 'home swap friendly' insurance companies updated on an on-going basis. Very recently, a member has reported a good experience when switching her household insurance to the Co-op.  

If you have swapped homes recently, and can recommend the company that provides your household and/or car insurance, please do let us have the name of the company. To show our appreciation for your useful feedback, your membership period will be extended by three months.  

We are delighted to welcome our latest Home Base Holidays rep, Christina Steyn, particularly as she is promoting home exchange in a country increasingly popular as a home swap destination. All our reps are enthusiastic about home exchange and have helped spread the word and answer questions from enquirers in their countries.  

See Christina's contact details and do get in touch if you have any questions.  

See the full list of Home Base Holidays reps worldwide... 

June - August: members can join 2nd home swap site for free 

If you are a current Home Base Holidays member (or join during June, July or August 2012), you are offered complimentary one year membership to a second long established home swap agency (based in Canada). To take up this offer, contact us (subject line: Free home swap offer). Contact us to sign up to the free offer! 

Last chance to win the Travel Writer's Handbook

We're still looking for your special (short) home swap stories for the competition to win a copy of the latest edition of Travel Writer's Handbook.

See the May issue of Home Swappers for details. Send your entry to info@homebase-hols.com with subject line, Story Competition, by 30 July 2012. We'll announce the winner of the guide in the August newsletter.

Everyone's a winner who sends a story as, when published, your story will include a link to your exchange offer for extra publicity. And, as an added incentive, all members whose articles are published receive 3 free extra months' membership.