Family Home Swaps Terms of Service

Last updated: 10 March 2026

Welcome to Family Home Swaps.

These Terms of Service explain the rules for using our platform.

Please read them carefully before creating an account, publishing a listing, contacting another member or arranging a swap.

By using Family Home Swaps, you agree to these Terms of Service and our Privacy Policy.

1. About these Terms

These Terms of Service, together with any policies and documents expressly incorporated into them, form a legally binding agreement between Family Home Swaps (also referred to as FHS, we, us and our) and the individual accessing or using our website, platform, services, content, messaging tools or related software (together, the Platform) (you, your, Member).

By creating an account, publishing a listing, communicating with another Member, arranging or confirming a swap, or otherwise using the Platform, you confirm that you have read, understood and agreed to these Terms and our Privacy Policy.

If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use the Platform.

2. What Family Home Swaps does

Family Home Swaps operates an online platform that enables parents and families to connect to discuss and arrange home swaps and related stays.

Family Home Swaps is a platform only. We are not an owner, occupier, manager, travel agent, tour operator, insurer, broker, guarantor, lender, escrow agent, real estate agent, employer, or legal representative of any Member.

We do not own, control, manage, market, inspect, endorse, certify, supervise or guarantee:

• any home, listing, host, guest, child-friendly feature, amenity or local recommendation;
• the identity, conduct, safety, suitability, reliability or legality of any Member;
• the accuracy or completeness of any listing, profile, review, message, image, video or other user content;
• that a swap will proceed as agreed between Members;
• that any home complies with any law, regulation, insurance requirement, health and safety standard, fire safety standard, tax rule, licensing rule, HOA rule or landlord requirement;
• or
• the availability, outcome or adequacy of any third-party verification, guarantee, screening, payment, insurance or protection product.

Any contract for a stay, swap, reciprocal exchange, non-reciprocal exchange, car exchange, pet care arrangement, key handover, local support, or any related arrangement is strictly between the Members involved.

Family Home Swaps is not a party to that contract and has no responsibility for its performance or non-performance.

3. Eligibility and account rules

To use the Platform, you must:

• be at least 18 years old;
• have legal capacity to enter into a binding contract;
• be legally entitled to offer the relevant property for a swap, whether as owner, tenant with permission, or otherwise, with all necessary rights and consents.
• use the Platform only for personal, non-commercial family home exchange purposes unless we expressly agree otherwise in writing; and
• comply with these Terms and all applicable laws.

You may create and use only one account per household or property unless we expressly approve otherwise in writing.

You must provide accurate, current, and complete information and always keep it up to date.

We may request documents or information to verify identity, address, authority to list, or compliance.

We may refuse registration, suspend access, require further verification, remove a listing, cancel a booking flow, or close an account at any time where we reasonably believe there is fraud, inaccuracy, misuse, legal risk, safety risk, reputational risk, breach of these Terms or risk to other Members or to us.

You are responsible for all activity carried out through your account.

You must keep login credentials secure and notify us immediately of any unauthorised access or suspected compromise.

4. Listings

Each listing must be lawful, accurate, current, complete and not misleading.

You must disclose all information a reasonable family would need in deciding whether to stay in your home, including where relevant:

• the location and type of property;
• sleeping arrangements and maximum occupancy;
• facilities and amenities;
• child-related items such as cots, toys, gates, highchairs, bikes or similar items;
• pets, pet restrictions and allergy risks;
• pools, hot tubs, balconies, stairs, bunk beds, fireplaces, wood burners, ponds, machinery, weapons, tools, hazardous materials, CCTV, alarm systems or any other item or feature that may create risk;
• accessibility limitations;
• cleaning expectations, house rules and neighbourhood restrictions;
• whether vehicles are available and on what terms;
• any known defects, hazards, outages, ongoing works, restrictions or limitations; and
• any legal, leasehold, mortgage, licence, tax, registration or insurance conditions that may apply.

You must ensure all photographs, videos, descriptions, tags, reviews and other content accurately reflect the property and surrounding area.

Listings must not include false claims, manipulated reviews, hidden charges, or any statement likely to mislead another Member.

A property may only appear once on the Platform unless we agree otherwise in writing.

We may edit, reformat, moderate, refuse, suspend, deprioritise or remove any listing or content at our discretion.

5. Member conduct and prohibited uses

You must not:

• create a false, misleading or duplicate account;
• impersonate another person or misrepresent your identity, household composition, authority, location, property, amenities or intentions;
• use the Platform for commercial letting, subletting for profit, holiday rental arbitrage, agency activity, timeshare sales, influencer barter, media production or any purpose inconsistent with a genuine family home exchange community;
• list a property you are not legally entitled to offer;
• arrange, encourage, solicit or complete an off-platform swap, side agreement or workaround with a Member first introduced through the Platform where doing so avoids platform rules, verification steps, protection requirements, reporting requirements, future fee obligations or eligibility conditions attached to any third-party product or service;
• state or imply that an off-platform arrangement will still qualify for any verification, guarantee, protection, reimbursement or support unless that is expressly confirmed by the relevant provider in writing;
• upload unlawful, defamatory, discriminatory, abusive, harassing, threatening, obscene, sexually explicit, exploitative or infringing content;
• upload or share images, recordings or personal data of children or other individuals without all legally required rights, notices and consents;
• scrape, harvest, index, mine, copy or misuse Platform or Member data, including for AI training, commercial prospecting or competing services;
• send spam, promotions, chain messages, scams or unsolicited marketing;
• use the Platform in breach of any sanctions, export controls, anti-bribery laws, anti-money laundering laws or other applicable law;
• interfere with the operation, integrity or security of the Platform; or
• do anything that may expose Family Home Swaps, its Members, partners or service providers to legal, regulatory, financial, reputational or security risk.

You agree to communicate respectfully, honestly and in good faith with other Members.

We may monitor use of the Platform, investigate suspected breaches and take any enforcement step we reasonably consider appropriate, including warning, suspension, de-listing, cancellation of platform workflows, removal of content, referral to third-party providers, refusal of support or permanent account closure.

6. How swaps are formed

A swap, stay or booking is formed only when the relevant Members agree the arrangement through the booking process or other process we specify from time to time.

When Members confirm a swap, a separate contract arises directly between those Members.

That contract may include these Terms, the booking details, house rules, messages exchanged on the Platform, and any other terms agreed between the Members, provided those additional terms do not conflict with these Terms.

Family Home Swaps is not responsible for enforcing that member-to-member contract and is under no obligation to mediate or resolve any dispute between Members.

7. Member responsibilities for swaps

Each member is responsible for making their own decisions about whether a swap, home, family or arrangement is right for them.

7.1 Host responsibilities

If you host, you warrant and undertake that:

• you have full legal authority to offer the property for the relevant stay;
• the property will be available for the agreed dates unless prevented by circumstances outside your reasonable control;
• the property will be clean, safe, habitable and materially as described;
• all essential utilities and key appliances will be in working order unless clearly disclosed in advance;
• you will disclose any material risk, defect, limitation or change affecting the stay as soon as you become aware of it;
• you will comply with all applicable laws, regulations, licences, permits, landlord consents, mortgage conditions, zoning rules, homeowner association rules and tax rules;
• you will maintain appropriate insurance, including any cover required for home exchange, short-term stays, liability, contents, buildings, vehicles and pets, as applicable;
• and
• you will not leave dangerous, illegal or prohibited items accessible to guests.

7.2 Guest responsibilities

If you stay in another Member’s property, you warrant and undertake that:

• only the agreed persons will stay at the property;
• you are responsible for all acts and omissions of every person you bring, invite or permit onto the property;
• you will use the property lawfully and in accordance with the agreed rules;
• you will take reasonable care of the property and contents;
• you will report damage, loss, theft, safety issues or complaints promptly;
• you will leave the property in substantially the same condition as on arrival, fair wear excepted unless otherwise agreed;
• you will depart on time; and
• you will maintain appropriate insurance, including travel insurance, medical cover and any cover needed for vehicle use or other activities.

7.3 Shared responsibilities

All Members are solely responsible for:

• deciding whether another Member, property or swap is suitable;
• carrying out their own due diligence before confirming a swap;
• ensuring the swap does not breach any contract, law or policy applying to them or the property;
• passports, visas, vaccinations, legal entry requirements, taxes, transport, emergencies and contingency planning; and
• any injury, death, loss, delay, cancellation, theft, damage, infestation, contamination or dispute arising out of or in connection with a swap.

8. Verification and third-party protection services

Family Home Swaps may offer, include, arrange or facilitate access to third-party products and services, including identity checks, biometric verification, guest screening, claims administration, payment tools, damage protection products, guarantee products and related support services.

At present, this may include services provided by Truvi.

These services are supplied by third parties under their own terms, conditions, criteria, exclusions, territorial limits, booking-channel requirements, validation requirements, claims procedures, evidence standards, decision-making processes and privacy practices.

Family Home Swaps is not the provider, insurer, underwriter, claims handler or decision-maker for those services.

Accordingly:

• any verification, screening or biometric check does not guarantee identity, suitability, honesty, safety, legal compliance or future conduct;
• any damage or liability guarantee or protection product is subject to the relevant third-party provider’s terms, eligibility rules, exclusions, evidence requirements, monetary limits, deadlines and claims decisions;
• eligibility may depend on the booking or swap being created, processed, approved, validated or otherwise handled in the required way through the relevant workflow and within the required timeframe;
• coverage may be refused, withdrawn, reduced or unavailable where conditions are not met, information is inaccurate, deadlines are missed, evidence is insufficient, the wrong booking route is used, or the provider concludes that the incident falls outside scope;
• Family Home Swaps does not promise that any Member, listing, booking, stay, incident or claim will qualify for protection;
• Family Home Swaps does not make any representation that any third-party protection is insurance or that it will respond to every incident;
• and
• any claim relating to third-party protection must be pursued strictly in accordance with the third-party provider’s process and deadlines.

Where we state on the Platform that a booking includes Truvi biometric verification and a £3 million accidental damage and liability guarantee, that statement means only that the relevant booking journey is intended to include access to those third-party services, subject always to the relevant provider terms, eligibility rules, exclusions and operational requirements in force at the time.

Members are solely responsible for reading and complying with the applicable third-party terms before relying on any verification or protection product.

Family Home Swaps shall have no liability for any act, omission, decision, failure to verify, refusal of cover, failure to pay, delay, error, data issue, service outage or insolvency of any third-party provider.

9. Free access now and membership fees in the future

9.1 Free access at the moment

As at the date of these Terms, Family Home Swaps is available on a free access basis.

This means that, at present, we do not charge members a sign-up fee, subscription fee or swap fee for standard use of the Platform, unless we clearly state otherwise for a particular optional feature or service.

This free access model is being offered while we grow listings, improve the Platform and increase swap opportunities for families.

It is temporary, discretionary and subject to change.

9.2 Future membership model or paid services

We reserve the right, at any time, to introduce, amend, remove or replace:

• membership fees;
• subscription plans;
• booking fees;
• service fees;
• premium features;
• verification charges; and/or
• other paid products or services.

Any future charges will apply only from the date stated in the relevant notice or pricing page.

We will give reasonable advance notice before introducing charges for existing members’ continued use of the Platform.

Unless we expressly state otherwise:

• introducing a paid model does not create any right to continued free use indefinitely;
• existing or early members are not guaranteed lifetime free membership, grandfathered pricing or any particular future rate; and
• continued use of the Platform after the effective date of a pricing change constitutes acceptance of the new charges.

We may also offer free access, discounts, trials, credits or promotional pricing to some or all members at our discretion and may withdraw or amend these at any time.

10. Cancellations, disruptions, inaccurate listings and no replacement obligation

Family Home Swaps does not guarantee any replacement accommodation, reimbursement, refund, compensation or alternative travel arrangement if a swap is cancelled, disrupted, shortened, misdescribed, inaccessible, unlawful, unsafe or unsatisfactory.

To the maximum extent permitted by law, Family Home Swaps shall not be responsible for any flight costs, transport costs, hotel costs, relocation costs, inconvenience, lost holiday value, wasted expenditure, missed connections, missed work, distress or other consequential losses arising from a cancelled or defective swap.

We may, in our absolute discretion but with no obligation to do so, try to assist Members where a swap breaks down.

Any such assistance is voluntary, may be withdrawn at any time, and does not create ongoing liability, a legal duty, or any obligation to source alternatives, mediate successfully or achieve a particular outcome.

Members are expected to deal fairly with one another in relation to cancellations and changes.

We recommend that Members set out key practical expectations clearly before confirming a swap, including notice expectations, cleaning expectations, access arrangements and contingency plans.

We may suspend or cancel a booking flow, listing or account where we reasonably believe there is fraud, safety risk, legal risk, non-compliance, sanctions risk, reputational risk or misuse.

11. Incidents, claims cooperation and evidence preservation

Members must notify the other Member and Family Home Swaps as soon as reasonably possible, and in any event without undue delay, of any material issue arising before, during or after a swap, including:

• property damage, breakage, theft or suspected theft;
• personal injury, illness, safeguarding concern or serious complaint;
• any safety hazard, unlawful conduct or police, insurer or authority involvement;
• any allegation that a listing or profile was materially inaccurate or misleading; and
• any circumstance that may give rise to a claim under a third-party verification or protection product.

Where a third-party provider such as Truvi may be involved, Members must comply with all applicable reporting deadlines, evidence requirements and cooperation obligations imposed by that provider.

Members must take reasonable steps to mitigate loss, preserve evidence and cooperate with any reasonable request for information, photographs, videos, inventories, receipts, witness details, correspondence, access records or other supporting material.

Failure to report promptly, preserve evidence or cooperate may result in removal of support, account action, loss of eligibility for any third-party product, or inability to pursue a complaint through the Platform.

Family Home Swaps may request documents and information, but is under no duty to investigate, adjudicate or determine fault.

12. Reviews, ratings and user content

Members may post reviews, ratings, messages, photographs, videos, captions, comments and other content.

You retain ownership of content you create, but you grant Family Home Swaps a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable licence to host, store, reproduce, adapt, publish, display, distribute and use that content for operating, improving, promoting and marketing the Platform and business.

You confirm that you have all rights and consents needed for the content you upload, including the consent of any identifiable person appearing in it where required.

We do not endorse or verify user content. We may remove, refuse, edit or moderate any content at our discretion.

13. Privacy and data use

We process personal data in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

You must only provide personal data relating to another person where you are legally entitled to do so and have provided any required notices.

Where third-party verification or protection services are used, you acknowledge that relevant data may be shared with those providers as described in our Privacy Policy and the provider’s own privacy documents.

14. Intellectual property

All intellectual property rights in the Platform, including software, branding, design, text, graphics, logos, databases and site content, belong to us or our licensors.

You may use the Platform only for its intended purpose and may not copy, reverse engineer, modify, distribute, sell or exploit any part of it except as permitted by law or with our prior written consent.

15. Suspension, termination and enforcement

We may, without liability and with or without notice, investigate conduct and suspend, restrict or terminate access to the Platform, remove content, cancel listings, cancel pending swaps within the Platform workflow, or take any other step we reasonably consider necessary where:

• you breach these Terms;
• we suspect fraud, scam activity, unsafe conduct or misuse;
• we receive a complaint or legal notice;
• required by law, regulation, court order, insurer, bank, payment provider or third-party partner;
• necessary to protect Members, third parties, Family Home Swaps or the Platform; or
• your account has been inactive for a prolonged period.

Termination does not affect accrued rights, ongoing licences, payment obligations, indemnities, liability limitations or provisions intended to survive termination.

16. Disclaimers

To the maximum extent permitted by law, the Platform and all content and services made available through it are provided "as is" and "as available".

Family Home Swaps makes no representation, warranty or guarantee of any kind, express or implied, including as to:

• merchantability;
• fitness for a particular purpose;
• title;
• non-infringement;
• uninterrupted availability;
• security, reliability or error-free operation;
• the truth, quality, legality, safety or suitability of any Member, listing or content; or
• the outcome of any swap, verification or protection process.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits any rights that cannot lawfully be excluded under applicable consumer law.

17. Limitation of liability

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability where it would be unlawful for us to do so, including liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, for fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or for any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited under the laws of England and Wales.

Subject to the paragraph above, and to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, Family Home Swaps shall not be liable for any:

• indirect, incidental, special, exemplary, punitive or consequential loss;
• loss of profit, revenue, savings, business, opportunity, reputation, goodwill or data;
• personal injury, illness or death arising from a Member’s acts or omissions, property condition, travel event, local condition or third-party act;
• property damage, theft, infestation, contamination, structural issue, utility failure, security breach or neighbourhood issue;
• travel, accommodation, relocation, replacement or contingency costs;
• acts, omissions or decisions of any third-party provider, including Truvi, payment providers, insurers or identity verification providers; or
• losses arising from cancelled, delayed, fraudulent, inaccurate, unsafe or unlawful swaps.

Subject to the paragraph above, where liability cannot lawfully be excluded, our total aggregate liability arising out of or in connection with the Platform or these Terms shall be limited to the greater of:

• the total amount actually paid by you to Family Home Swaps in the 12 months immediately preceding the event giving rise to the claim;
• and
• GBP £100.

If you have paid nothing to us, our total aggregate liability shall be limited to GBP £100.

Nothing in these Terms affects any mandatory statutory rights you may have as a consumer.

18. Member indemnity

You shall indemnify, defend and hold harmless Family Home Swaps and its officers, directors, employees, contractors, shareholders, agents and affiliates from and against any and all claims, liabilities, losses, damages, judgments, settlements, penalties, fines, costs and expenses, including reasonable legal fees, arising out of or in connection with:

• your breach of these Terms;
• your listing, content, property or use of the Platform;
• any swap, stay or arrangement entered into by you;
• your breach of law, regulation, licence condition, insurance condition, landlord obligation, HOA rule or tax obligation;
• injury to any person or damage to any property caused by you, your guests, your children, your pets or your invitees;
• or
• any claim brought by another Member, third party, regulator or rights holder relating to your acts or omissions.

19. Force majeure

We are not liable for any delay, interruption, failure or inability to perform caused by events outside our reasonable control, including natural disasters, disease outbreaks, pandemics, war, terrorism, civil unrest, utility failure, internet failure, cyberattack, labour dispute, governmental action, sanctions or third-party service outages.

20. Changes to the Platform and these Terms

We may change, suspend or discontinue any part of the Platform at any time.

We may amend these Terms from time to time. The updated version will be posted on the Platform with a revised effective date.

Where required by law or where we consider it appropriate, we will also notify Members by email or through the Platform.

By continuing to use the Platform after the effective date, you agree to the revised Terms.

21. General legal terms

20.1 Entire agreement

These Terms and any documents incorporated by reference form the entire agreement between you and Family Home Swaps regarding the Platform.

20.2 Severability

If any provision is held unlawful or unenforceable, the remaining provisions remain in effect.

20.3 Waiver

A failure or delay in exercising a right does not waive that right.

20.4 Assignment

We may assign, transfer or subcontract our rights and obligations under these Terms.

You may not do so without our prior written consent.

20.5 No partnership or agency

Nothing in these Terms creates any agency, partnership, employment, joint venture or fiduciary relationship between Family Home Swaps and any Member, or between Members.

20.6 Third-party rights

Except where expressly stated, no person other than Family Home Swaps and the relevant Member has any right to enforce these Terms.

20.7 Governing law and jurisdiction

These Terms and any non-contractual disputes arising out of or in connection with them are governed by the laws of England and Wales.

If you are a consumer resident in the United Kingdom, you may also have the right to bring proceedings in the courts of the part of the United Kingdom in which you live.

If you are a business user, the courts of England and Wales shall have exclusive jurisdiction.

21.8 Contact

Questions relating to these Terms should be sent to the contact details published on the Platform.

Schedule 1 - Recommended member-to-member exchange terms

The following provisions are intended to apply unless the relevant members expressly agree otherwise in writing through the Platform:

• The host grants the guest a limited, temporary licence to occupy the property only for the agreed-upon dates and for the agreed-upon persons.
• The guest may not sub-license, assign, re-book, party, hold events, film commercially, or bring additional overnight visitors without prior written permission.
• The guest must comply with house rules and all lawful instructions relating to safety, security, pets, waste, parking and neighbour conduct.
• The host may re-enter the property where reasonably necessary for emergency, safety, maintenance or legal reasons.
• The guest is responsible for all damage beyond fair wear and tear caused by the guest’s party.
• Damage, theft, breakage, infestation or incident must be reported as soon as possible and in any event within 24 hours of discovery.
• Each Member remains responsible for maintaining their own insurance and for notifying their insurers of the swap where required.
• Either Member may cancel where performance becomes unlawful, impossible or unsafe due to events outside their reasonable control. The cancelling Member must give as much notice as possible.
• Any dispute between Members must first be addressed directly and in good faith.
• Family Home Swaps is not a party to, and has no liability under, the Member-to-Member exchange arrangement.