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Moving Home
There are four ways of moving home.
Apply for a Transfer
Mutual Exchange
Other Information on Exchanges
Apply for a Transfer
If you want to move from one council or housing association house to another you can apply for a transfer.
You need to complete an Application for Housing form. Forms can be obtained from the Assessment and Options Team, Colchester Borough Council, P O Box 887, Town Hall, High Street, Colchester C01 1ZG or download from this link.
Or you can pick up a form from the Housing Advice Centre at Angel Court or the Greenstead Area Office.
If you ring on 282565, 282569, 282547, 282564 or 507835 we will arrange for a form to be sent to you.
When we get your form we will write back to you within two weeks to tell you what is happening with your application.
Remember to make sure you have completed all sections of the form and have attached copies of the information we have requested.
If you feel you need to be housed quickly because of a health problem please fill in a Medical Consent form. You can get this form from the same places as the Application Form or you can download a Medical Consent form from this website.
Mutual Exchange
For many tenants the best way of finding a more suitable home or moving from one area to another is to find another tenant to swap homes with. This is called a Mutual Exchange. The law gives Council and Housing Association tenants the right to do a mutual exchange but you must have your landlord’s permission. Both sides must sign a ‘deed of assignment’ before you can move. If you agree to advertise for a mutual exchange, your name, address and phone number and details of the type of property you are looking for will be put on the Mutual Exchange Register.
If you would like to advertise your home you can either go to the Homechoice Website or complete this form. People looking for exchanges contact each other directly. Homechoice will advertise your details on their website, in the Homechoice@ Colchester shop , next to Angel Court, and the Greenstead Local Housing Office. You will be able to look in these places for someone to exchange with.
Once you have found someone who wishes to exchange with, you both of you need to fill in and return a mutual exchange form which you obtain from us.
Homechoice has added the ability to arrange mutual exchanges into their Homechoice Website , allowing people to upload their own adverts and photos of their home and look for someone to exchange with.
Other exchange information
Homeswap - the UK wide mutual exchange register and the Homes Mobility Schemes are no longer available. You can find out more about this and information about other exchange schemes via this central government website.
We are also aware of another website offering exchanges which can be viewed here. Please note that Colchester Borough Homes in no way endorses this website and that you read and understand the terms and conditions on the website thoroughly as there is normally a monthly subscription charge.
