Mutual exchange – currently MX registered summary
20 Customer’s interviewed – June/July 2016 - 7 customers have been registered on MX for 0-6 months - 5 customers have been registered on MX for 6-12 months - 2 customers have been registered for MX 1-2yrs - 6 customers has been registered for MX for over 2 years
Where do you want to move to? 16 customers specifically wanted to move within the local area. Reasons for waiting to remain in the local area were in relation to staying close to their children’s school and staying close to GP. How did you know that mutual exchange was an option for moving? 7 customers read about it on YHN and/or TWHs website. 6 customers knew about mutual exchange as an option by informally talking to neighbours, friends and family. 3 customers confirming that they heard about it from their Housing Office/r. 3 customers reading about it in their tenancy agreement. 1 customer knew about mutual exchange as they are a member of staff. What's the main reason making you want to move? For the majority of responses customers primarily want to move/had moved due to currently property size wanting to either downscale or upscale. (13 customers) From this 8 customers upscale/d and 5 customers downscale/d. From this 2 customers specifically moved to avoid bedroom tax and rent a more affordable home. 2 customers wanted to move to get away from a neighbour / partner. 1 customer wanted to move to find a “nicer” home to the one they already had. 4 customers wanted to move because they wanted to live in a “nicer” area or a “nicer” home. Have you received Your Homes Newcastle's mutual exchange online monthly newsletter? None of the customers interviewed could recall receiving Your Homes Newcastle’s Mutual Exchange Newsletter and so could not comment on its content or usefulness. Have you ever advertised your home yourself via any of the following online outlets?
For the majority of responses customer had not advertised their home on social media outlets (15 customers) 2 customers hadn’t advertised their home on Facebook or Gum Tree but had joined a Facebook group and/or looked on Gum Tree to look at what was on offer from other people.
1
Where customers had advertised on Facebook they had done so by joining a mutual exchange Facebook Group namely Tyne and Wear Homes mutual exchange and/or North East Mutual Exchange. 5 customers had used either Facebook or Gumtree to find a swap. 4 customers have used Facebook to advertise their home on their own profile page and/or on a Facebook mutual exchange group. 1 customer have used Gumtree to advertise their home and experienced no issues through this. 2 customers hadn’t advertised their home themselves on Gumtree and/or Facebook but had used these sites to look at homes advertised for exchange.
Overall how have you found the mutual exchange process? 14 customers found the process Very Easy or Easy 6 customers found the process Difficult 0 customers found the process Very Difficult 1 customer had done two swaps in the last 12 months and had found one swap process easy and one swap process difficult. Where they were able to communicate with the swapper and arrange everything quickly they rated the overall process as easy and where they experienced a lack of communication with the swapper and difficulties arranging things and then problems with the home that they moved to due to outstanding repairs they rated the overall process as difficult. Reasons for rating the process as very easy or easy where due to: - ease and straightforwardness of the system, (especially when already registered on TWHs) - registering and advertising on TWHs - ease in using social media to find a home quickly and arrange a home as it provoked interest and communication for the swapper. Reasons for rating the process as difficult were predominantly due to: - frustrations in not being able to find someone to swap with - difficulties in searching for swaps on the system - problems in communicating with their fellow swappers. 3 customers who rated the overall process as easy still commented that there are frustrations in the process when it comes to communicating with swappers when often people don’t reply to messages or they sound interested then quickly change their mind. About the respondents: The majority of customers who responded were female. (13 customers / 65%) The majority of customers who responded were white British. (17 customers / 85%) The for the majority of customers they did not have a religion / their religion was not known. (8 customers / 40% are Christian) All of the customers who responded were heterosexual. The majority of customers who responded were in employment. (13 customers / 65%) The majority of the customers who responded were in the age group 25-34yrs (8 customers / 40%) followed by the age group 35-44yrs. (5 customers / 25%) 2
What is the main reason that you haven't yet moved having registered for a mutual exchange? MX registered and wants to move Main reason for not moving via MX Main reason for not moving via MX Main reason for not moving via MX Main reason for not moving via MX Main reason for not moving via MX Main reason for not moving via MX Main reason for not moving via MX Main reason for not moving via MX
Main reason for not moving via MX Main reason for not moving via MX
MX registered and no longer wants to move
No response from people contacted about a swap / can’t find anyone who wants their home Haven’t found a property they like Haven’t found a property they like Can’t find anyone who wants their home Haven’t found a property they like Can’t find anyone who wants their home Haven’t found a property they like or find anyone who wants their home Haven’t found a property that suits my requirements where I want to be (medical requirements) Not serious about moving yet, keeping options open by registering Didn’t find a property they wanted to move to 3
MX registered but has already moved via MX
MX registered but now moved by other means
Main reason for not moving via MX
Relations with neighbour has improved / partner moved out
Main reason for moving Main reason for moving Main reason for moving Main reason for moving
Wanted a bigger property Avoid bedroom tax Wanted a “nicer” home Wanted a bigger property
Main reason for not moving via MX Main reason for not moving via MX Main reason for not moving via MX
Moved into private rented sector Bought home. Didn’t find a property they liked Transferred instead. Couldn’t find anyone who wanted their home Transferred instead. Forgot they were registered stopped looking RTB completed. Couldn’t find a property they wanted to move to
Main reason for not moving via MX Main reason for not moving via MX What do you think puts customers off moving via mutual exchange? Answer
Number of Responses (Customer could chose more than one option in response to this question) 4
People don't expect to find a property they like via mutual exchange The process is too long People forget they are registered and aren't prompted to revisit Tyne and Wear Homes People don't get back in touch about doing a swap once they have expressed an interest People think system will be difficult to use People get frustrated when contacted by people to swap with when they clearly don’t want the property they have which is evident from the information they have provided online People don’t know what to do - there needs to me more info on what to do People are put off by the condition of the house that they might be getting i.e. repairs issues People don’t see the benefit of it because YHN don’t promote it enough / advertise it well enough
11 responses 4 responses 2 responses 2 responses 1 response 1 response 1 response 1 response 1 response
How do you think we can promote mutual exchange more effectively so that more customers will consider it as an option for moving? Answer Hold customer mutual exchange events in local areas Provide customers with more information on the mutual exchange process telling them more about what happens and what they need to do Advertise mutual exchange on Your Homes Newcastle's social media outlets Promote self-serve ways to exchange, hints and tips on finding swaps yourself Send customers a regular newsletter advertising and reminding people of mutual exchange Hold customer mutual exchange events in a central area 5
Number of Responses (Customer could chose more than one option in response to this question) 16 responses 10 responses 9 responses 8 responses 5 responses 1 response