In brief
A family has saved about £6,000 on two holidays by swapping homes with strangers, using the Home Link platform. The Vanderpumps, who live in Cheshire, have stayed in homes across Hamburg and Copenhagen, gaining authentic local experiences and free accommodation. Home exchanges thrive on trust, platform vetting, and insurance checks, allowing travelers like Petra Novak to save up to £20,000 by visiting Europe while working remotely. The trend offers a flexible, community‑driven alternative to conventional hotels, especially as travel and living costs rise.
Would you swap homes with a stranger in exchange for a cheaper holiday? Henry Vanderpump, his wife and two children have swapped houses twice in two years, saving the family roughly £6,000 on two holidays with Home Link.
Both families stay in each other's homes—a five‑bedroom Cheshire house for the Vanderpumps and similar sized properties in Hamburg and Copenhagen for their European hosts—without any accommodation costs, only an annual membership fee.
The family says the biggest benefit is the authentic, off‑the‑tourist‑track experience. In Hamburg they rode electric bikes to nearby lakes, and in Copenhagen they swam in the Baltic and tried locally recommended restaurants.
While home exchanges can feel risky, platforms such as HomeLink vet members and offer review systems. Guests are encouraged to provide an introduction letter and, as May Burrough notes, “building trust before the stay is key.”
Petra Novak, who has saved up to £20,000 by travelling around Europe on the Kindred platform, stresses the importance of checking both home and travel insurance for accidental damage.
Whether you’re looking to reduce holiday costs or simply want a more intimate travel experience, home swapping offers a flexible and community‑driven alternative to traditional accommodation.
