ps: I think Intervac is probably the original exchange company - one of the first. Do they offer any kind of security or advantage dyou think? better than doing it yourself?

Have just started looking at this as a possible way of cutting the costs of travelling/ going on holiday.
I'm disabled (full-time wheelchair user) so I have to travel with a paid helper which doubles the costs of the holiday and the helper also has to be paid of course.
Does anyone know of a house which is suitable for a wheelchair user and helper - in France for a start?
Is there anyone who also has some experience of travelling with a disabled person and helping when necessary?
I've looked at a few web sites including one which specialises in house swops for disabled people. But most people seem to be couples or families. All I can offer as an exchange is a 2 bed bungalow with one single bed in each bedroom. The house has various adaptations for disabled people but these do not prevent 2 other single people using the house.
I'm on the Notts/Derbyshire border with very easy access to Derbyshire Peaks and just 3 miles from M1 for access North & South. Very quiet round here as it's semi-rural.
Thanks to everyone else on this forum as I've now picked up some other house exchange sites to try.
All ideas welcome. Sylvia

Yes, I used Homebased holidays for a year. They seemed to be a nice company, but I never got any requests for an exchange from any of the members, and those I did write to, often didnt bother to reply. So all in all, it wasnt very successful. I much prefer homeforexchange where I get inundated with offers.

Someone I swapped with last year in France contacted me again recently to tell me of a bad experience she had with a young couple from Budapest, who were quite insistent that they wanted to come to her town on a certain week, so they agreed. When they got back, they found their bed in the living room, litter everywhere, certain small items missing (which the swappees openly said they had thrown away....eg chopping board) but worse, a couple of weeks later, they discovered that several CDs had disappeared (the crystals left behind to fool them). She is an artist and the CDs contained pictures. The owner of the site was in a difficult position, she only facilitates the swap. Each side complained about the other. Personally, I would never have contemplated a swap with a couple of 20 year olds. Ageism I know, but I also know that many young people don´t have the same respect from property that we oldies have.

Just to say I'm off to Prague for a week in late May. The flat is in the Old Town so that in itself should be good.
My exchangee is a wine importer and bar owner......................sounds good to me.

I saw somewhere here that people could not find where they had posted.

When you need to find that out

Go to forum MY Zone its the first entry along the top when you sign in.
Click on and it will drop down a list of things to find. You will see 6 down says My Post .
Click on that you will see all the messages you ever posted and you can open them and read and then reply.
Hope this is clear enough for you to understand and follow.

Just got back from a week in Prague. 1st. floor flat in a private courtyard in the Old Town. 5 mins walk from the "Charles Bridge". Spar type shop on one side, Irish bar on the other. Street market in the next street. Wonderful. I walked my feet off.
My house was fine, except that the silly B****r had left the front door key in the lock (on the inside). Luckily I'd left a back door key with a neighbour.
Pics in my gallery if you're interested. The courtyard as well.

I now have my Cambridge tickets, but will happily sell the camping one if I find a house swap in Cherry Hinton that weekend (30 July to 3nd. August inclusive) I'd probably arrive Thursday afternoon and leave on Monday morning.

As I said, just for me as Tony loves the whole camping experience. He could have stayed at the Holiday Inn with 2 other friends, but said no.
Longer would be OK too.

Hello all
I am thinking way ahead! Next year in June 2010 I am coming over to UK for a family wedding on the 19th. After that I will be going to Ireland to my sister, but would then like to go to Scotland to explore a bit with my sister and husband and my 30yr daughter who lives in London.
It would be about the time of the Soccer world cup in RSA. Would anyone be interested in a swap for abt a 5 days/ week? I live in a comfortable house in Randburg, close to the ring road and other good ameneties and shopping centres such as Cresta and Northgate.
Only mature people would be considered of course!

I am dipping my toe in the water here.

Have just read this post for the first time and have never thought of an exchange before and not sure whats what.

Will be having a look at the companies suggested in the posts but if anyone is interested in exchanging to Lagos in the Algarve, Portugal then please get in touch and we can discuss it.

Hi, just been reading through the post on here and wondered if anyone might be interested in the site I use when I go on holiday. It's not a house exchange but a house/pet sitting service. It's free to register and I've had some very good people here to house sit for me. Most have refs but not all some charge but none that I've had, so it might be useful to anyone who can't get an exchange where they want. Anyone interested can PM me and I will give them the details of the site.

Hi Cestrian, this site is not one of your regulated companies. It was set up for people just to put their ads on, either people who wanted sitters or people who wanted to sit. I registered with them last year (I think), they as you to put any dates you want the sitter for and then a bit about, your house/pets and area you live in, also what you expect from your house sitter. The people who want to sit put something similar to a CV, Where they come from, what their experience if any, if they have refs, if they charge, where they would like to house sit and why they want to house/pet sit. Within a day of entering my ad. I had 9 replies!
There is no insurance involved, you have to take your chance, so far, I've had a young girls from America, a localish lady (about an hour away) and a brilliant Australian couple.
I am getting people contacting me all the time, from all ove the world.