Would you swap homes with a complete stranger?

By Megan Lane
BBC News Online

Would you trust a complete stranger with the keys to your front door? More and more holidaymakers are doing just that as they swap homes with other families to cut the cost of going abroad.

When Mike and Peggy Francomb from Essex go on holiday, it's not to an anonymous hotel or busy resort. Instead they live rent-free in a private home in their chosen destination.

As do Brian and Sue O'Connor from Brisbane. But what links these otherwise unrelated couples is that they stayed in each others' houses.

House swapping is one of tourism's booming trends, thanks in large part because of something it can offer which hotels or B&Bs will never be able to - it's free. And people taking part have a fairly good idea that their house will be looked after while they're away.

MIKE AND PEGGY FRANCOMB, ESSEX In April we left our terrace house near Southend-on-Sea for two months in Brisbane - it was our fourth home exchange. The house was absolutely first class, a spacious open-plan home complete with barbecue and deck for eating outdoors. Staying rent-free - and exchanging cars - reduced the cost of our long-haul holiday down to the air fare. While we did explore the surrounding area, we didn't travel that far afield. Being able to become part of the local community is what makes a trip special for us, rather than seeking out adventures or cultural differences. We now hope to retire in Australia - our next exchange may be from Brisbane seeking a home in the UK.

BRIAN AND SUE O'CONNOR, BRISBANE We arrived in Essex after a 90 minute drive along the M25, a road we came to know intimately. The terrace houses and the hustle and bustle of living close to a main road added to the excitement. We set off daily to explore Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk, and spent three nights on the Sunshine Coast - very different from our Sunshine Coast with its miles of white sand and surf, but we loved the quaint cottages and the wonderful history. Imagine being so close to London that a 40 minute train ride takes you into the heart of it all. We also took advantage of the close proximity to Europe with a spur of the moment trip to Copenhagen. We look forward to our next swap - who knows where.

Home exchanges are not new - they were going on as long ago as the 1950s - but their growth outstrips package holidays or independent travel. Big agencies such as Homelink International report 7% growth a year on average - more than double the average increase in the number of package holidays Britons take.

No need to put Fido in a kennel

Lois Sealey set up her exchange agency, Home Base Holidays, in 1985. Twelve years later, aware that the web would be the ideal tool to facilitate swaps, she offered members an online directory as well a printed version.

"At first it was mostly Americans who went online. But soon the British realised that by the time they got the hard copy, the best swaps had gone. Since going online in 1997, our membership has gone up by about 80% - so many wanted internet-only we stopped printing the directory last year," Ms Sealey says.

But Jim Anderson, of Homelink International, says printed directories are here to stay, at least until people properly trust what they read online.

"Our members find the web great for browsing the options. But they like the reassurance of seeing a property in the printed directory. It makes it more real; they like it that the other people are receiving stuff through the post at that address."

Knowing something about the people you will be swapping with is key to the growth - and here technology certainly has played a part.

E-mail is invaluable in helping people bond ahead of handing over keys - important as each has to trust their expectations will be met and their home looked after. Carl Watt, who with his partner swapped an Edinburgh flat for a houseboat in San Francisco during the 2000 festival, says building a relationship first is vital to avoid pitfalls.

"E-mail made it so much easier to swap information and to get to know each other. We spent a lot of time on it, detailing the cheapest and easiest way to get about, the best restaurants - every detail was taken care of in advance."

Home from home

While homes in the UK, US and Australia remain most popular - and therefore have the greatest choice available - swaps are increasingly available elsewhere.

TIPS FOR A HASSLE-FREE SWAP Lock away valuables Compile guide to house and neighbourhood eg: where's fuse box, bus stop, supermarket Agree in advance who pays utility bills Check that your insurance covers the exchange (police say occupied homes are less vulnerable to break-ins) Renters can swap too - if the landlord agrees

"Although our members would love a swap in Japan, Korea or South America, we almost never have listings there. Hopefully that will change," Mr Anderson says.

Neither need you live in a tourist hotspot. Think no-one will swap their Manhattan pad for your semi in Derby? Think again. Location is all - perhaps that New Yorker with a penthouse has a beloved aunt in the Peak District.

There's also the potential to save on car hire and cattery or kennel fees by swapping cars and pet care. For those with young children, exchanging with a family does away with the need to pack toys and equipment, and the hassle of finding local playgrounds and babysitters.

Last summer, Californians Jan and Ben Stewart swapped their home near Disneyland - plus cars and cats - with a family from High Barnet in London's commuter belt.

"I loved learning the most minute things, like operating the washing machine/dryer combo - nothing like that in the US. Even going to the grocery story was a major highlight," Jan Stewart says.

"Just hanging out and shopping, cleaning, gardening, feeding the cat - and the family of foxes in the back yard - gave our holiday a depth that we want more of. Our next home swap in Boston awaits - we leave tomorrow!"

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Tales to tell from house-swapping? If you've never done it, would you be prepared to? Add your comments using the form below.

I had a great exchange to London a couple of years ago. I highly recommend swapping homes as a way to really get to know a neighbourhood and it was great to have a real home to come back to. It does take time though and arranging an exchange is down to the people doing it. I found that lots of emails back & forth was important so I got to know the people who were going to be staying in my apartment. This got rid of the anxiety that we probably both felt at first (first exchange for both of us).
Liz McClean, Sydney (in London again at present)

I swapped homes with a couple from California several years ago whom I contacted through a home swapping agency. We exchanged letters and photos of our homes (and each other!) but only ever met for one evening in a bar in LA at the end of the holiday! Inevitably there is a degree of trust but my experience was excellent although I drew the line at leaving my car keys and would not dream of trusting Fido to the care of a stranger! One tip though - lock away those delicate or especially treasured household trinkets before you leave. You will then enjoy your trip that much better!
Simon Buck, Horley

We have house swapped a few times but stopped four years ago after the swap from hell. The house in America was horrible - they left all the instructions on a laptop which crashed and we could not retrieve the information. Their dog got ill and we spent a day trying to find a vet - it then bit my son. Their swimming pool broke and we spent two days getting someone to fix it.
Clare, London

I started swapping homes when I was single and couldn't think how to have a comfortable and safe holiday on my own. It's remained my preferred type of holiday ever since. You can afford to travel further, and you get to sample real life in another country. In the meantime your own house is more secure, and your pets and garden are being looked after. We've had great holidays in Spain, Hungary, Victoria: British Columbia, Berlin, and now San Diego. I recommend it - join a reputable company and the world could be your oyster!
Janet Seaton, Edinburgh (currently in San Diego)

I have friends through e-mail and newsgroups who I would trust, and who would probably trust me, but I wouldn't want to do it with strangers.
Chris C, Aylesbury, England

Personally no, I wouldn't do it. I would be okay trusting someone to look after my property. But what about the more personal things...Such as mail? The "strangers" could open any mail that comes through the post box and some of that could be used for fraudulent purposes. I could imagine explaining to the police that I gave a complete stranger the keys to my house and he went on to get a couple of credit cards in my name as well as a few items on HP. And I very much doubt my insurance policy would cover any damages/theft to items within the house.
Les, UK

Les, you can pay Royal Mail to hold mail at the delivery office until your return home. This service is known as Keepsafe.
Peter Genower, Hounslow