Swapping your rental home: how woningruil works

Woningruil (also called huisruil) means two tenants permanently swap homes: you move into the other tenant's rental home and they move into yours. It is a permanent move, not a holiday home exchange of a few weeks.

You can swap a social rental home from a housing association (woningcorporatie) as well as a private-sector rental. It is often a way to live sooner in another city or neighbourhood, or in a home that fits better: bigger, smaller, step-free, or closer to work or family.

• Find a swap partner. Look for tenants in the city you want to move to. On Thuis Ruilen, homes of people who want to move to *your* city are shown first: a two-way match.
• View each other's homes. Arrange a viewing and discuss rent, handover and moving date.
• Both ask your own landlord for permission. Do this in writing. The Juridisch Loket has a sample letter for a swap request (in Dutch).
• The landlords assess the swap. Each landlord has its own conditions; housing associations check, for example, whether your income and household fit the home. Ask your landlord which conditions apply.
• Sign and move. Once approved, you get a new tenancy agreement or take over the other tenant's (see below).

According to the Dutch government (Rijksoverheid), you may swap your rental home if your landlord approves the swap. The other tenant also needs permission from their own landlord. Without that permission you cannot simply swap.

Housing associations usually set their own conditions for a swap, for example about income, household size or how long you have lived in your current home. These rules differ per association and region, so ask your own landlord first.

After an approved swap there are, according to the Rijksoverheid, two options:

• A new tenancy agreement. All rules for a new contract then apply. For example, you can have the starting rent reviewed by the Huurcommissie (rent tribunal) within the first six months.
• Taking over the other tenant's agreement. Its terms then apply, including the current rent. Note: you may also take over any rent arrears of the previous tenant.

So your rent can be higher or lower after the swap. Ask the landlord beforehand what the swap means for your rent.

If a landlord refuses the swap, you can ask the sub-district court (kantonrechter) to decide. If the court approves, you take over each other's tenancy agreements (Rijksoverheid).

According to the Juridisch Loket, the court looks at, among other things, whether the new tenants can pay the rent, whether you have a weighty interest in the swap, and whether any required housing permit is in place. The Woonbond gives examples of such an interest: living closer to work or family, a bigger home for a growing family, or medical reasons.

Thuis Ruilen does not give legal advice. If you are unsure about your situation, contact the Juridisch Loket for free.

Thuis Ruilen brings together tenants who want to swap. Search for the city you want to move to; homes of people who want to move to your city come first.

• Placing an advert: a one-off €10 per advert, by iDEAL or card.
• Searching, replying and messaging: free.
• In three languages: Dutch, English and Arabic, on the website and in the app for Android and iPhone.

Thuis Ruilen is not a landlord and does not decide on a swap: the landlords do.