Travel the Home Exchange Way blog

Protecting your home while on a home exchange

As well as being a cost saving and exciting alternative to a hotel room, home exchanges are one of the safest forms of travel due to the mutual trust that develops through lengthy correspondence before the exchange takes place.  Homes that are lived in by exchange guests are much less likely to be burgled than if left empty while away.

Tips:

1.    Join a reputable, established home exchange service

Select a reputable, established home exchange service that charges a membership fee like Home Base Holidays. You will be recommended to prepare a simple agreement covering everything discussed during the course of arranging your exchange, including paying for or replacing anything that is broken.

2.    Lock up your valuables

You will be leaving your domestic equipment and most of your non-personal belongings available for use by your exchange guests (and you, in turn, will have use of their household items). However, if you have items of value or sentimental value that you would be concerned about, either leave them with a friend for safe keeping or lock them away in a safe place. If you have the space, you could even have a locked ‘out of bounds’ room to store anything you don’t want used. Leave instructions for your guests on securing your home before they go out for the day (locks on doors and windows, lights, setting a burglar alarm, etc).

3.    Use cameras

Take photos of all expensive equipment such as cameras and computers as you may need this should you ever make an insurance claim. Also, protect your home with security cameras.  Whether they actually work or not is besides the point - a house filled with security cameras is a risk that not many burglars are willing to take. 

4.    Mail delivery

Your exchange guests can be instructed on collecting and securing mail or, if you prefer, ask a neighbor to regularly collect your mail, or put a temporary hold on delivery if you have concerns about identity theft.

5.    Pick the right time to go

According to data collected from US burglar alarm system companies in 2011, over 80% of home burglaries occur during the months of June, July, and August.  Planning a vacation in the off season will not only reduce your risk of burglary but save you money on travelling expenses as well. 

For peace of mind, take your time before agreeing to go ahead with a home exchange to ensure a good match and leave detailed instructions on security issues. 

Guest post by Security Choice, ADT Authorized Company

 

London Olympics: Enjoy parks away from the Olympic Park on your London home exchange

Home exchanges are proving to be incredibly popular in London during the upcoming Olympics, particularly as many hotels are rapidly becoming fully booked or taking advantage of the increased demand and hiking prices. The good news is that many Londoners are actually looking to get out of the city, as being spoilt with living in the second most visited city in the world they are keen to escape the tourist masses, and therefore home exchanges are likely to be appealing to London residents.

A home exchange for the Olympics also comes with many of the typical benefits of an exchange, including cutting costs in one of the most expensive cities in the world as well as enabling a much more authentic and in-depth experience in a city that boasts an extremely complex, varied and sometimes hidden character. If you’re heading to the Olympics, you may find that you have spare time around the events you are planning on attending or would like to escape the thronging crowds of such a famous world sporting event. Fortunately, as one of the greenest capital cities in the world, London is awash with a plethora of historical and royal parks to enjoy some rare serenity and peace (Regents Park in photo below).

Greenwich Park

Even though ‘North of the river’ London steals much of the tourist limelight, South London boasts some of the best parks on offer. Greenwich Park is the oldest Royal Park in the capital, and is also home to the Royal Observatory and the Meridian Line, giving it the unique feeling of standing at Longitude 0, splitting East from West, and where time differences around the world are measured from. It also offers amazing hillside views of central London, hidden Roman remains, access to the National Maritime Museum and nearby Cutty Sark, as well as a Bandstand with summer performances.

Richmond Park

Richmond Park is another South London gem and is the largest Royal Park in London. As it isn’t maintained and preened in the way other London parks are, there is a great wilderness scene here, with ancient woodland and 1000 year old English Oak trees as well as free roaming deer and rabbits. There are also golf courses and excellent cycling opportunities for the active.

Hyde Park

Possibly one of the most famous parks in London, this is centrally located and adjacent to Kew Gardens. Hyde Park will also host the modern pentathlon and equestrian events during the Games. A popular place for quick respites from the city on a daily basis, many people come here to roller skate, play tennis, go horse riding or play bowls.

Hampstead Heath

Hampstead Heath is a surprising area of wilderness within the capital, with ancient woodland and dense grass land it also provides a very challenging orienteering course for anyone keen to really explore off the path. There are also the famous ponds that people go swimming in in the summer, as well as the Lido swimming pool. Due to its sheer size, undulating hills and areas of dense foliage it is more than easy to find your own quiet space within the park.

Regents Park 

Designed by the famous Royal architect John Nash in the early 1800s, Regents Park is one of the most famous royal parks known for its grandiose design and immaculate presentation. There is the well-manicured rose park, as well as a boating lake and many wild bird species and ducks roaming around. Furthermore, on the North Eastern corner is the world famous London Zoo.

Author Bio: This is a guest post by Matt, a keen traveller and writer who has just returned from his Sorrento holidays and is awaiting the upcoming London Olympics.

Home exchange condition: 'No nuts in house'

It's very worrying, especially when children are involved, if even the slightest contact with a substance (or pet) could cause a severe reaction.

A Home Base Holidays member in Scotland is in this situation and needs to ensure that anyone she arranges a home swap with understands that they can't bring nuts of any kind into her house:

'Our daughter has a serious peanut allergy, hence we have a no nuts policy in our home along with a no smoking policy.'

Check out the family's lovely home in rural Scotland:

'Our home, in Anstruther, Fife, is a large four bedroom house situated on a farm with magnificent views over the Firth of Forth towards Edinburgh.

We are just 10 minutes from St Andrews, which is a beautiful historic town where there are historic buildings to explore and the world famous Old Course. There are no less than 15 excellent golf courses within 20 minutes of our house, all worth trying out. We are situated in the East Neuk of Fife and just five minutes from our house is the fishing village of Pittenweem, which has a daily fish market. If you like fish this is the place to come for the freshest haddock ever. Ten minutes away is Elie which has excellent beaches and a variety of watersports. Kingsbarns is just 5 minutes away and has a lovely beach with great rock pools for kids to play in (& if you're lucky you may even catch your very own lobster).

We did our first exchange summer 99, have done eight more since and they were all so successful we are keen to keep exchanging.' See the full home exchange offer.

Looking for a long term home swap

Q: I am thinking of returning to London for a few years and wonder what if any the demand is for long term home swaps between London and Sydney. - Rob

A: Although the majority of members do arrange shorter home exchanges (2-4 weeks) there are a good number interested in longer term swaps (6+ months). Home Base Holidays has a very large number of London members and, with Sydney being a popular destination, you should find a suitable match. For example, many UK members have grown-up children and grandchildren living in Australia and such members often like to spend several weeks in an exchange home to be close to family.

You can search on the site for members interested in longer exchanges: Go to the Browse listings page and click the "Show more options" link. This will display some additional search fields; from the "Type of exchange" drop down box select "Long term exchange". To maximise your choices, join Home Base Holidays well in advance when looking for a long term swap.

The photo is of the garden in one London home available for a long term home exchange to Sydney:

Victorian terraced house is a short walk from Kilburn High Road, a vibrant historic London high street.

In London on a home swap? Visit Southwark Cathedral, an off the beaten track London attraction

'I will never forget the announcement that London had been awarded the 2012 Olympics. I was in my office at the Education Centre in Southwark Cathedral and even my good friend and colleague Tricia was unprepared for the hysteria.

And then the next day, from the heights of jubilation to the depths of despair: the London bombings. We had a special day ahead. Children from a South London Muslim school  with children from a South London Church of England School working together to enlighten each other about their respective faiths and to celebrate all that they shared.

One school managed to arrive and we spent the day trying to get them home again. The other school had to leave their bus at Elephant and Castle and they too had tribulations and traumas to get back to school.

I am pleased to say that that event did eventually take place and this piece is for all those of you who will be visiting our beautiful city this summer and for the vast London membership of Home Base Holidays, urging you to stray off the usual beaten path of London landmarks and visit this gem of a building which has stood by London Bridge since 1106, first as a priory, then, after the Dissolution of the Monasteries as a parish church, and, since 1905, as a cathedral.

Southwark Cathedral is an oasis of spirituality and calm on busy Bankside. Through its ancient walls you can hear the bustle of the adjacent Borough Market but inside is peace and serenity, places to sit and think, or to pray, and to marvel at the beauty which surrounds you. Shakespeare's brother is buried here, as is Lancelot Andrewes, one of the main contributors to the King James Bible and John Gower, held by many to be the first person to write poetry in English, as opposed to French or Latin. My favourite spot is the Lady Chapel, the most tranquil part of the building, with its lovely series of stained glass windows depicting the Nativity.

You could spend days in this part of the city. There is Tate Modern, the Globe, Tower Bridge, City Hall and the re-vamped buildings of the docklands. But I would urge you to visit its greatest prize, Southwark Cathedral, no cost to enter and you'll reap a bountiful reward.

The cafeteria is rather good too!' - Sandra Newnham, London

Note: Until her retirement, Sandra worked at the Education Centre in Southwark Cathedral. Sandra and husband, Paul, are enthusiastic home swappers. See their home exchange offer in London.

 

Calling home exchange members: Do you have a spare room?

Many Home Base Holidays members (singles, couples, small families) have spare bedrooms that come in handy when swapping homes, enabling larger families to be accommodated when needed. But, if this describes your situation, and you live in London, how is your spare room used at other times? Perhaps it could pay its way while at the same time, provide a home for a guest for a short period. Room for Tea is an innovative business recently launched in London to match spare rooms and guests.

Guest post by Room for Tea (sociable housing)

Fancy sharing your home with a friendly guest for a little while? Give an aspiring young professional the chance to start their dream career and you could earn up to £350 per month tax-free!

Room for Tea is a new kind of home-sharing network. We connect guests in need of short-term, affordable accommodation in London with hosts who have spare capacity in their clean, comfortable homes.

Who is this for? Well, everyone. But our motivation is to help aspiring interns and apprentices access affordable accommodation in London during their work experience, offering anyone, from anywhere, a fair chance to start their dream career.

But that’s not all. We also believe that if a host can easily find reliable, friendly and courteous guests to welcome into their homes without long-term commitment, they might have: a new friend in the making, a very grateful guest who is willing to help out around the house, and more disposable income to spend on the finer things in life; be that treating the grand- children, fine dining or just keeping the heating on for an extra hour or two.

And even that’s not all! We will offer hosts and guests the chance to link with other hosts and guests at events, meetings and groups, so experiences can be shared, social and professional networks can be created.

Want to get started? Want to know more? Call us today and we can talk you through Room For Tea and sign-up process step by step, so why not get in touch? (We also offer a £10 Amazon voucher if you successfully refer a friend, acquaintance or family member as a host).

Room for Tea

[email protected] 

0203 239 4913