{"id":55,"date":"2026-08-28T20:14:20","date_gmt":"2026-08-28T20:14:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/index.php\/house-rules-for-a-home-swap\/"},"modified":"2026-08-28T20:14:20","modified_gmt":"2026-08-28T20:14:20","slug":"house-rules-for-a-home-swap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/house-rules-for-a-home-swap\/","title":{"rendered":"House Rules for a Home Swap: The 8 Points That Prevent Conflict"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Writing the <strong>house rules for a home swap<\/strong> is probably the task people least want to do and the one that prevents the most trouble. Almost no disagreement between two families comes from bad faith. It comes from each of them quietly assuming something different. This is what is worth putting in writing, with concrete wording you can copy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_87 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">In this article<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/house-rules-for-a-home-swap\/#Why_they_are_needed_when_there_is_already_trust\" >Why they are needed when there is already trust<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/house-rules-for-a-home-swap\/#The_eight_points_that_cannot_be_missing\" >The eight points that cannot be missing<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/house-rules-for-a-home-swap\/#How_to_write_them_without_sounding_unfriendly\" >How to write them without sounding unfriendly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/house-rules-for-a-home-swap\/#A_complete_worked_example\" >A complete worked example<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/house-rules-for-a-home-swap\/#Where_to_put_them\" >Where to put them<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/house-rules-for-a-home-swap\/#What_should_not_go_in_the_house_rules\" >What should not go in the house rules<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/house-rules-for-a-home-swap\/#And_if_somebody_does_not_follow_them\" >And if somebody does not follow them<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/house-rules-for-a-home-swap\/#Frequently_asked_questions\" >Frequently asked questions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/house-rules-for-a-home-swap\/#Write_them_once\" >Write them once<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"why-they-are-needed-when-there-is-alread\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_they_are_needed_when_there_is_already_trust\"><\/span>Why they are needed when there is already trust<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Precisely because there is trust. A clear document is not an expression of suspicion, it is a courtesy: it saves the other family from having to guess, and it spares them the awkwardness of messaging you every two hours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">House rules for a home swap also work in both directions. You write yours, you receive theirs, and both sets act as a guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-eight-points-that-cannot-be-missing\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_eight_points_that_cannot_be_missing\"><\/span>The eight points that cannot be missing<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Number of people.<\/strong> How many sleep in the house and whether visitors are allowed.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Smoking.<\/strong> Whether it is permitted and where. The usual formula is not indoors, allowed on the terrace.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Pets.<\/strong> Whether they are accepted, in which areas, and whether they may go on sofas or beds.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Restricted rooms.<\/strong> A locked study, a storeroom, a cupboard. Entirely normal.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Noise and neighbours.<\/strong> Quiet hours, and whether the building has its own rules.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Use of the car or the bikes<\/strong>, if included, and under what insurance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Utilities.<\/strong> Who covers consumption and what counts as unusual consumption.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Final clean.<\/strong> What state the home is expected to be left in.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-write-them-without-sounding-unfri\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_write_them_without_sounding_unfriendly\"><\/span>How to write them without sounding unfriendly<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tone is everything. Compare: Smoking is prohibited throughout the property, against We are non smokers, so we would ask you to smoke on the terrace if you do. Thank you. They say the same thing and they read completely differently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three simple rules: explain the why where there is one, use the first person plural, and thank them. Well written house rules for a home swap read like a letter, not like a building regulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"a-complete-worked-example\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"A_complete_worked_example\"><\/span>A complete worked example<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Welcome to our home. Here are four things that help everything go smoothly. We are non smokers, so please smoke on the terrace if you do. We keep the study at the end locked because we store work documents there. The building asks for quiet after eleven at night, as the neighbours below have a baby. And with the bins, food waste goes out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Any questions at all, just message us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Four sentences, zero ambiguity and no policing tone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"where-to-put-them\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_to_put_them\"><\/span>Where to put them<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In two places. First in the written agreement you both sign before the exchange, so they are on record from the start. Then printed and left in the house alongside the practical guide, because nobody is going to dig through their email on day three.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-should-not-go-in-the-house-rules\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_should_not_go_in_the_house_rules\"><\/span>What should not go in the house rules<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Avoid turning it into a list of twenty prohibitions. If you have more than eight points, you are probably regulating things that need no regulating, and the effect is counterproductive: it signals that you do not trust them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Do not put the practical information there either. The wifi password and how the boiler works belong in the house guide, which is a separate document. We cover it in the article on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/index.php\/preparing-your-home-for-guests\/\">preparing your home for guests<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"and-if-somebody-does-not-follow-them\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"And_if_somebody_does_not_follow_them\"><\/span>And if somebody does not follow them<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Usually they do, because anyone swapping homes knows their own house is on the line. If something does happen, you mention it at the time and resolve it by talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For whatever cannot be resolved by talking, there are the platform guarantees and your home insurance, which we cover in the guide to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/index.php\/home-swap-insurance\/\">home swap insurance<\/a>. If an incident affects the wider building, it is worth knowing your rights and obligations as a leaseholder, which are summarised on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gov.uk\/leasehold-property\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the official leasehold guidance<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Frequently_asked_questions\"><\/span>Frequently asked questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Are they legally binding?<\/strong> They form part of an agreement between private individuals that both parties accept. Not a tenancy, but a written commitment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What language should I write them in?<\/strong> Your own and English if the exchange is international.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Can I ask people not to enter a room?<\/strong> Of course, and it is very common.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>How many house rules for a home swap are too many?<\/strong> More than eight usually means you are over regulating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"write-them-once\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Write_them_once\"><\/span>Write them once<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Spend twenty minutes on them and save the file: they will serve every future exchange with minimal edits. If this is your first swap, start with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/index.php\/home-exchange\/\">complete home exchange guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>What to include in your house rules before a swap, how to word them, and a real four sentence example.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-55","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-home-exchange","category-tips"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=55"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/55\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=55"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=55"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.homeforswap.com\/blog_eng\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=55"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}