National ‘house-swap’ scheme to be launched by Conservatives

Tenants living in social housing would be able to benefit from a national house-swap scheme planned by the Conservatives, Grant Shapps, the shadow housing minister, said today.

He told the National Housing Federation conference that the Tories wanted to make it as easy for social tenants to move as it is for people living in private housing.

Under the current arrangements, social tenants are four times less likely to move than people who rent privately.

‘If you are a social tenant, you don’t have the same opportunities as other renters or home-owners. The system means that your aspirations are squeezed, your expectations lowered, and your horizons are limited,’ Mr Shapps said.

‘Today I can announce that a future Conservative government will facilitate a nationwide affordable-house-swap programme.

‘We will introduce an open database connectivity platform to ensure that – for the first time ever – every family in social housing will have the chance to relocate by exchanging their home for another one, anywhere in the country.’