What is the home swap agreement form template?
Home swaps work on trust, but trust works better when both households have agreed the details: who's coming, how the keys are handed over, whether the car is included, who feeds the cat, what's off limits and what happens if a glass gets broken.
This template takes both households through it together: the dates and each household's contact details and travelling party, the homes and key handover, cars and pets, house rules, utilities, damage and cancellation, and finally a signature from each side.
The signed agreement is saved as a PDF in FileIt and both sides can get a copy by email. It's a written record of what you agreed, not a substitute for checking your insurance or any home exchange platform's terms.
- Best for
- Families, retirees, remote workers and teachers swapping homes for holidays or sabbaticals
- Filled in by
- Both households together, on one device or on a call
- Time to complete
- 15 to 20 minutes
- Includes
- Both households' details, car and pet terms, house rules checklist, damage and cancellation, two signatures
Who uses a home swap agreement form?
- Two families swapping homes for a summer holiday
- Retired couples doing a month-long exchange abroad
- Teachers exchanging homes during a school holiday
- Friends swapping a city flat for a country cottage
- A non-simultaneous swap where one household travels months later
- Members of a home exchange platform wanting their own written record
Questions on this home swap agreement form
38 questions over 5 pages · includes signature, conditional questions, multiple pages, consent checkbox.
1 Dates and households
- Swap starts*
- Swap ends*
- Earliest arrival time
- Latest departure time
- Main contact*
- Email*
- Phone*
- Home address*
- Who will be staying in Household B's home?*
- Main contact*
- Email*
- Phone*
- Home address*
- Who will be staying in Household A's home?*
2 The homes
- Type of swap* Simultaneous: we stay in each other's homes at the same time · Non-simultaneous: on different dates
- Dates each household will stay in the other home* asked only when it applies
- Maximum people in each home*
- Rooms, cupboards or items that are off limits
- How keys will be handed over*
- Local emergency contact for each home*
3 Cars and pets
- Are cars included in the swap?*
- Car make, model and registration for each household* asked only when it applies
- Car terms agreed* asked only when it applies Each driver is covered by insurance for the other household's car · Fuel returned at the same level · Fines and tolls paid by the driver · Damage reported straight away · Mileage limit agreed
- Mileage limit asked only when it applies
- Are there pets to look after?*
- Pets, feeding, walks, medication and vet details* asked only when it applies
- Plants, garden or pool care
4 House rules
- House rules agreed by both households No smoking indoors · No parties or events · No extra guests staying without agreement · Quiet hours respected · Bins and recycling put out on collection day · Home left as clean as it was found · Bed linen and towels washed before leaving · Food bought is replaced or used up
- Other rules or house instructions
- Utilities and internet* Each household pays its own bills as normal · Agreed differently (explain below)
- How utilities are handled* asked only when it applies
- What happens if something is broken or damaged*
- Have both households checked that their home insurance covers a home swap?*
- If one household has to cancel
5 Agreement
- Confirmation*
- Household A signature*
- Household B signature*
- Date signed*
The home swap agreement form, page by page
1 Dates and households
Enter the swap dates and arrival and departure times. Each household gives its main contact, email, phone and home address, and lists everyone who will be staying in the other home.
2 The homes
Choose a simultaneous or non-simultaneous swap; a non-simultaneous swap asks for the dates each household will stay in the other home. Then set the maximum number of people in each home. List rooms or items that are off limits, how keys will be handed over and a local emergency contact for each home.
3 Cars and pets
If cars are included, record each car's make, model and registration, tick the terms agreed (insurance cover for the other household's drivers, fuel, fines, damage and mileage) and the mileage limit. If there are pets, describe feeding, walks, medication and vet details. Add plant, garden or pool care.
4 House rules
Tick the house rules both households agree, from no smoking and no parties to washing the bed linen before leaving, and add other instructions such as heating, alarm and Wi-Fi. Say how utilities are handled, what happens if something is damaged, whether both households have checked their home insurance and what happens if one side cancels.
5 Agreement
Both households agree to the terms and sign, with the date signed.
Make the template yours
- Add questions about a second home or holiday property if one is included
- Add a security deposit section if you've agreed one
- Remove the car questions if cars are never part of your swaps
- Translate the rules into the other household's language
- Use the house instructions box as a full home guide, or attach one
- Send each household's email a copy of the signed agreement
Tips for a better home swap agreement form
- Check with your insurer before you travel whether home swap guests are covered, and that the other household is insured to drive your car
- Exchange photos or a video call so each household knows what to expect
- Leave a written house guide with appliances, bins and emergency numbers
- Agree in advance how you'll settle any breakage, before anything gets broken
- Keep the signed agreement with your travel documents
Every response becomes a PDF in your vault
The agreement is saved as a signed PDF in your FileIt vault, and both households can receive a copy of their answers by email.
Because FileIt is a document vault, you can keep the agreement alongside your passports, travel insurance and car insurance for the trip.
- Start from this template. It opens in the FileIt Forms designer — change any question, add pages, set the rules for when questions appear.
- Share it. Turn on a public link, or send it to people by email, each with their own link. They don’t need a FileIt account.
- Get the answers as PDFs. Each response is saved as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, with uploaded files attached — and listed in a Responses table you can export to CSV.
Home swap agreement form: frequently asked questions
Is this home swap agreement free?
Yes. It's one of the ready-made templates in the FileIt Forms app, available on every account including the free plan.
Is this a legally binding contract?
It's a written record of what both households agreed, signed by each. Whether it's enforceable depends on where you live, so take advice if you need a formal contract.
Does it replace insurance?
No. Check with your home and car insurers that a home swap is covered. The form asks both households to confirm they've done so.
Can both households sign on different devices?
The form is filled in once, so it works best done together on one device or during a video call. You could also send the PDF to the other household afterwards.
Can I use it with a home exchange website?
Yes. Many members use it alongside a platform's own terms to record the details they've agreed between themselves.
What if we include cars?
Answering yes to cars asks for each car's details, the terms agreed and a mileage limit.