Chesterfield couple visit over 50 countries thanks to home-swapping

During the last seven years Deborah King, aged 64, and her husband Les, 68, from Brampton, have visited various places across the world –including the US, the Netherlands, Sri Lanka, Spain and Bali. But they did not have to spend a single penny on hotels or B&Bs – they home-swapped instead.

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In 2017 the couple registered with Home Exchange – a website which allows them to swap houses with other members in 145 countries.

Deborah said: “We went to some fantastic places – like a penthouse apartment in Brooklyn, New York. We had been to Manhattan a number of times before, but thanks to the swap we stayed in the heart of Brooklyn – in an apartment overlooking the Statue of Liberty. We even got to meet a couple of authors in cafés and restaurants. We were only there for a long weekend, but it was really memorable.

“We also made friends through home swapping. When we went to Seville in Spain we became friends with the people who we swapped with, and later we did a longer exchange.”

The Chesterfield couple first heard of the idea when they appeared at the Home Away From Home BBC show almost ten years ago and soon registered with a home-swapping platform.

Deborah said: “We were invited to the TV show after someone who knew who renovated our house suggested to the BBC that we could be on the programme. We accepted and swapped homes with a different couple for three days. At the show, someone asked us if we knew of home-swapping websites. We didn’t but decided to try it out soon.”

Deborah and Les first registered with Love Home Swap, where they stayed for two years, before moving on to the Home Exchange seven years ago.

Deborah said: “A lot of people when they first hear about it, think about what could go wrong. You hear horror stories where people have trashed places or thrown big parties. But we've never had any major issues because the home exchange community is based on trust and is very unique in this way.

“You get to talk to people you are swapping with. You can chat with them either on WhatsApp or email, a call or a video call beforehand to make sure you feel comfortable because at the end of the day, you're staying in someone's home and somebody's coming to stay at your home. It's important to feel comfortable.

“You can get a lot of information from the host for example what restaurants, museums or places they've recommended, rather than take Tripadvisors word for it.”

Anyone can set up an account at Home Exchange for an annual fee starting at $220 (about £175) and arrange an unlimited number of swaps with other members across the world.

There are two types of swaps offered – a classic exchange and an exchange with guest points. In a classic exchange, two members, or families, swap homes, either simultaneously or on different dates. When a member wants to stay in someone else’s house but the other person is not interested in visiting, they can pay with GuestPoints instead. Every new member gets some GuestPoints at the beginning – and can earn more for hosting guests at their home.

Deborah said: “The membership for a year costs us less than staying in a hotel in London for one night. We have been able to invite friends and family to come on holiday with us, and it doesn't cost us any more. We've had some really good holidays abroad with family and friends and they didn’t have to pay anything.”

While Home Exchange members still have to pay for transport, they can often count on support from their hosts.

Deborah said: “Although we have to pay for our flights, we have had exchanges where we've swapped cars with people as well. When we went to Philadelphia, people we swapped with offered us their car. You have to make separate arrangements for that and make sure it is alright with your insurer, but it is worth it.”

Deborah added: “Some people say we are lucky to have a four-bedroom house so we can arrange many exchanges – but I think anybody can swap their house. There's always people wanting to swap with you. We've stayed in small places – for example in a one-bedroom apartment in the suburbs of Amsterdam while someone stayed in our house. We liked the city and it was a great experience. It doesn’t matter how big the house is – the main thing is that it is clean and tidy.

“I think people don't realise how lucky we are living in this area. It’s not just about big cities like London or Amsterdam. We are on the edge of the Peak District which is really sought after. Brampton is just a stone's throw from the countryside but we can also walk to Chesterfield and the walk into town is lovely with nice bars and restaurants on Brampton Mile.

“But it’s not just Brampton – Chesterfield is right in the centre of England and it's a good base for them to travel to other areas. It’s easy to get to London, Manchester, Sheffield or Liverpool - for someone who lives in America a two-hour drive is often not long.”