We have tried to answer the most common questions about house swapping below. Please feel free to contact us directly on info@kiwihouseswap.co.nz if you have any questions or concerns that are not answered below. We aim to get back to you within 48 hours.
Is it free to view the properties on the website?
Yes, it is completely free to view properties and see if there are any homes you are interested in swapping with. However you are not able to view member profiles and swap dates or message members unless you join the website.
If you would like to register your property and start swapping, you can then take the next step and become a paid member of Kiwi House Swap. This will enable you to contact other members and start lining up your next holiday.
Why use Kiwi House Swap?
While other house swapping sites are offshore owned, Kiwi House Swap is NZ owned and operated. We are a dedicated website for house swapping within New Zealand and with expat Kiwis in other parts of the world.
We understand how New Zealanders like to holiday, how we communicate, our hopes, our concerns and generally how we roll.
The website is built to be simple to use. There are lots of exciting properties listed for you to exchange with and we’ll guide you through the process.
How often can I swap?
You can swap as many times as you like throughout your paid membership duration. There are no hidden costs beyond your annual membership. New Zealand offers some of the best holiday destinations in the world. Why not swap a house and explore our own country?
How do I login to my account?
It is simple 2 step process to log into your account at Kiwi House Swap website.
Visit the website and click the “Log In” button in the top right of the page.
Enter your registered email and password in the login form fields.
Click on ‘Log in’ to access your account.
In case you have forgotten your password, please use the ‘forgot password?’ link which is below the login form to reset.
Once you are logged in you can view member details for each property, check your own message dashboard for any new swap requests and message other members.
How does house swapping work?
With house swapping, you can say goodbye to forking out for a holiday home or expensive hotel.
You simply swap your own home, holiday house or bach with other Kiwi House Swap members to enjoy free accommodation in some of New Zealand’s top location spots. Your swap partner then enjoys staying in your property at the same time or at a different agreed time.
House swapping also means your property is occupied while you are away, pets are taken care of and your garden gets a water! Many members also choose to swap cars as part of the swap arrangement. This saves even more dollars on hire cars.
What do you do with your valuables when you house swap?
House swapping is a relationship of two-way trust and respect. We advise people to put away any valuable jewellery or items that are dear to them. Other than that, leave your home as you would like to find it on your return.
What we have found is that house swappers usually like to swap with compatible members. For example families often swap with families, seniors swap with seniors, dog-friendly homes with other dog-friendly homes.
This means a bit of getting to know each other beforehand to ensure everyone is comfortable with a swap and what is included.
The best option is to be clear and concise about your needs and what you have to offer. Our mantra is keep it clean and simple!
What do you do about linen?
We suggest that you discuss this with the party you are swapping with. Many of our members leave clean linen on all the beds and clean towels in the cupboards. This means you don’t need to pack linen for your house swap.
However you can make your own arrangements with your swap partner about how to leave the linen, whether it is to be stripped from the beds and washed or just stripped and put in the laundry.
These are the sorts of finer points to be discussed once a swap has been agreed on. Remember communication is the key to a great swap.
How does Insurance work on a house swap?
It is important to let your home insurance company know you are planning a house swap. This should ensure your home is covered while other people occupy it. Remember that house swaps involve “non paying guests” when speaking to your insurance company and it is usually the case that deliberate damage would not be covered.
Depending on which insurance company you are with you may need to take out additional cover. Always make sure your insurance company is fully aware of what you want to be covered for. Insurance is your sole responsibility when you house swap.
Am I insured for my house swap by Kiwi House Swap?
No. Kiwi House Swap provides an introductory service only which brings like minded house swappers together online. We are not party to or liable for any issues that may arise from a house swap. Our advice is to check your insurance obligations carefully and agree with any house swap partners exactly what you are each responsible for as part of the swap. Great communication is key to a successful house swap.
Can I do non-simultaneous home swaps?
Sure you can! You and your exchange partner can make any arrangements you are happy with. This can include simultaneous or non-simultaneous house swaps. Some members have multiple homes registered with us which makes non-simultaneous swaps easier.
How do members contact each other about house swaps?
Members initially contact each other about house swaps through the secure messaging system within the Kiwi House Swap website. If both members are online then instant chat is available and any conversations are stored in your account so you can return to them at a later time.
If the other member is not online they will receive an email alerting them that they have received a message from you. We ask all members to please reply promptly to all messages – even if you are unable to accommodate the swap request.
Once you’ve made contact with a member you can mutually agree to use the website video or audio chat messaging system. This means you can continue to keep your personal contact details private until you are happy to agree to a swap. From there you can exchange contact details and move your communication off the website if you would like.
We encourage members to have several communications (including video chat) before a swap. This gives you the chance to check out your swap partner, the property and any pets you might be looking after as part of the arrangement. Good communication at all times is key to a great swap.
Do I have to add photos of my home straight away?
Yes, photos are a really important part of your profile and make it much more likely to receive home swap requests. Please remember properties that don’t have at least 4 photos won’t be accepted to go live onto the website. We also recommend that you put house photos only on your listing as this is open to the public.
Can I list more than one house?
Yes you can! Members can list 1 property on a 6 month subscription, 2 on a 12 month subscription and up to 5 if you sign up for 24 months.
Why is my property listing not on the website, but I’ve filled out everything?
If your property listing form was successfully submitted but you still do not see your listing live on the website there could be a few reasons – all easily remedied!
- When you submit your new property listing a member of our team will verify that your ID documents are in order and that you haven’t listed more properties than your subscription allows. This may take up to 48 hours to check. If everything looks good your listing will be live very soon and you will get an email confirming this.
- If there is an issue with your listing or photos we will be in contact with you – either for more information or to assist you further with your listing.
- If you have correctly completed your listing but it is still not live after more than 48 hours, then please contact us at info@kiwihouseswap.co.nz
How do I edit my property listing?
Login to the website at the top right hand corner of the website.
Go to the ‘Your Properties’ tab at the top of the page once logged in.
Click on ‘Edit’ (pencil icon) next to the property name.
Edit the form field(s) you wish to change, Then save the form before exiting. Your changes will be reviewed by our team before being approved and your listing becoming live on the site again.
If you have any further questions about how to do this, you can email us at info@kiwihouseswap.co.nz
Can you arrange future house swaps if your subscription has run out?
As a Kiwi House Swap member, there is no limit to the length or number of swaps that you arrange throughout your subscription. You can also organise to repeat house swaps with members you have personal contact details for, outside of your paid membership at a future date. However once your membership has run out you won’t be able to view any member profiles or contact any members via Kiwi House Swap’s internal messaging service.
We strongly recommend that you are a current member if you are going continuing to communicate with another member about a future swap. It also means you can swap with our new members as they list on the site.
Can you swap cars as part of a home swap?
Yes some members also swap cars as part of a home swap. This makes great sense and is something that can be discussed with members who are swapping. Swapping vehicles means even more savings on hire-car costs. You can even leave your cars at the airport for each other and save on taxis.
We strongly recommend you check your insurance policy and make sure it covers your exchange partner driving your car. There may be an extra premium to pay. We also suggest calling your insurance company to make sure you are fully covered. Remember insurance for both your house and your car is your sole responsibility.
Make sure you have clear written communication with your house swap partner about insurance arrangements, additional premium cover and who pays any insurance excess costs.
What happens if at the last minute the swap cannot go through on one side e.g. flights have to be cancelled for unavoidable reasons?
This is rare but it can happen. We recommend both members take out travel insurance as an extra precaution, especially if flights are involved.
Do you verify new members?
When you sign up to Kiwi House Swap you are required to provide copies of 2 documents. 1 is for personal identification (such as driving license or passport), the other is property address verification (council rates letter or utility bill). We also reserve the right to check public websites for rates and owner information.
If your property is owned by a Trust or a Company it may be more difficult or us to verify. If this is the case we may need to contact you for more information before we can validate your ownership.
Verification is an important step in the process of joining Kiwi House Swap. Please allow us 48 hours to check and validate new members and listings.
Can I join Kiwi House Swap if I am a renter?
Unfortunately not. At this stage only property owners can join the site. This is something we would like to change in the future but it requires careful consideration about how we would verify landlords, their agreement to the swap and their property ownership.
Always open to ideas on how we can achieve this. We believe everyone should be able to go on a house swap holiday!
Can I boost my listing on the website?
As new members sign up you may want to ensure your listing stands out on the website. Particularly if you have specific swap dates coming up. We are looking at including a “boost listing” option for members,
This will include a feature option for those members wanting to showcase a property on the carousel “Featured” panel which is located on the website Home Page. We also give you a Facebook & Instagram post and feature you on our email newsletter which goes out to 1400+ people.
You can choose this option at any time. Just visit the “Boost Your Listing” page and fill in the secure payment form. Please note it can take up to 48 hours for your property to be shown on the featured carousel.
Responding to house swap enquiries
The Kiwi House Swap website is a shared platform for like minded house swappers so we ask you please respond to all enquiries, even if you aren’t able to accommodate the house swap request.
It can be very frustrating as a member to send out enquiries and not get responses. Good communication is key to a happy Kiwi House Swapping community.
Can I review a house swap?
Everyone loves to read reviews and this is a future priority for the website. We will keep you posted as we develop this option. In the meantime we would love it if you gave us a review on our Google Profile.
More FAQ”s will be posted on this page soon.
Sept 2023
General House Swapping FAQ’s >>
Joining Kiwi House Swap >>
Listing Your Property >>
Messaging Other Members >>
Cancellation, Liability & Insurance >>