Advices about home exchange

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Advices about home exchange

Owner / tenant

The practice of home exchange is free, and thus is does not require that you own the housing you are exchanging. If you are a tenant, sharing your home is similar to lending it to friends or family.

Insurance

As indicated above, home exchange is akin to an invitation between friends. Indeed, insurance companies consider your home better protected when it is not left unattended and generally provide coverage of a "third person that keeps your home during your absence." Tell your insurer that friends will stay at your place on your next exchange. It is best to check your "comprehensive home insurance policy", which covers any damage caused by your guests and those you could cause to their home during your stay.

Similarly, your "private civil liability policy" included in all contracts, guarantees the financial consequences of injury (material and immaterial) caused to others by yourself, movable properties and people and pets whose you are responsible.

Travel insurance policies cover your personal effects (except valuables), and your responsibility against the owner, neighbours and other third persons for damage due to fire, explosion or water damage. This insurance is usually included in all contracts.

Thefts and damages

Do not worry about thefts and damages, it almost never happens on a home exchange and this for several reasons:

• Your home is occupied so it prevents break-ins;
• It is a mutual exchange so you choose the people with whom you exchange, after several contacts by telephone and email to make sure you acknowledge them;
• You can put away the fragile items and valuables in a cabinet, drawer or even lock up a whole room;
• In case of damage in your home, which may possibly happen, (tableware…), people with whom you exchange will replace broken items before leaving.

Search

Begin to search for an exchange at least 3 to 6 months before your departure. During your exchange research, contact by email each accepted candidate. Introduce yourself briefly as well as the persons participating in the exchange, describe your home, your region, make your interlocutors want to come to your place and give them your ad number so that they can see what you are offering. Do not share personal details immediately, wait for an answer. Have many contacts with the exchange partner you have chosen in order to organize your travel, to agree on details such as an animal to feed, exchange of vehicle, possibility of using bicycles, Internet, telephone, how to get the keys… but also address more important issues related to your disability, including equipment available at your partner's place and which will be left at your disposal.

Once all points are settled, specify them all in your home exchange agreement, thus in order to avoid any misunderstanding. Three copies of this agreement will be made, one for each party exchanging their places and one for the ELSA service.

The departure

When leaving, inform your neighbours that other people will come for some time so that they don't worry to see strangers in your home. In addition, neighbours often get on well with the newcomers, offering a dinner or even offering them to discover the region.

Regarding your home, leave it in the same state of cleanliness that you'd like to find when back. Leave some empty space in cupboards for your guest's belongings. Remember to leave visible the documents containing the information that you are committed to provide (list of medical providers and paramedics, security, useful numbers: plumber, electrician, police, fire brigade, casualty department…). Do not forget to leave the keys as planned. Finally, your guest will appreciate finding a Ready to Eat dish or at least something to prepare without having to do the shopping on arrival.

Back home

After returning from vacation, please let us know your any comments, positive or negative.