How can I find out about home swopping

MORE and more of us are deserting the traditional package holiday and opting to swap our homes with people from across the globe. Here theanswerbank.co.uk looks at the advantages and pitfalls of the holiday house exchange.

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For a start you cut out the cost of booking into a hotel or villa for the length of your holiday. All you need to pay for is you're flight and your spending money.

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Swapping with 'real' people abroad often takes you off the beaten track and away from the more expensive resorts. Essentially you live like an average person in that city, town or village for the duration. A permanent home tends to be more comfortable than your average hotel or furnished apartment.

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You can often arrange to swap cars as well, taking out the cost of hiring, although you'll need to arrange suitable insurance. If two similar families swap it can often mean not having to take cumbersome items like cots, pushchairs and car seats. If you have pets or precious plants you have a ready-made carer, and, of course, you don't have to worry about leaving your house unattended while you're away.

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If you can't stand the thought of someone you don't know sleeping in your bed or going through your draws then swapping probably isn't for you. There is inevitably an invasion of privacy, although of course this works both ways.

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There is always the possibility that your visitors will break or damage valuable items around your home, be it by clumsiness or just unfamiliarity with things like electrical appliances. However, as long as you advise your insurance company of your plans in advance you should be fine. In fact, they are usually more than happy that someone is looking after your property.

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Unless you are staying somewhere you know you may find you don't like your location, even if the house or flat is fine.

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