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Search Guide

Search Tips & Filters: How to Find Your Perfect Swap

Everything you need to know about searching, filtering, saving, and shortlisting — so you spend less time browsing and more time packing.

How search works on MutualExchange

Our search page is designed to help you find genuinely compatible swaps, not just any listing with the right number of bedrooms. Every filter you apply narrows the results to properties that actually match what you need — and the match percentage tells you how closely each listing aligns with your swap preferences.

Whether you know exactly what you want or you're just exploring, understanding how each tool works will save you hours and help you spot opportunities you might otherwise miss.

Location search: postcode radius and town name

The most powerful way to search is by postcode and radius. Enter a full or partial UK postcode and choose a radius of 5, 10, 25, or 50 miles. We use Haversine distance calculation (the same formula used by mapping apps) to find every listing within that circle — so results are genuinely close, not just in the same postcode district.

Tip: Town name fallback

If you don't know the exact postcode, just type a town name instead. We'll search listing locations for that name and show matching results. It's less precise than postcode radius, but it works well for exploring a general area.

If you leave the location field empty, you'll see all published listings nationwide — useful if you're open to moving anywhere or want to browse before narrowing down.

Filter options explained

Every filter is optional — use as many or as few as you need. The more you use, the more targeted your results will be.

1

Bedrooms (minimum)

Set the minimum number of bedrooms. If you need at least a 2-bed, you'll still see 3-beds and 4-beds — just not studios or 1-beds.

2

Property type (multi-select)

Choose one or more property types: flat, house, maisonette, bungalow, studio, or bedsit. If you'd accept either a house or a maisonette, select both.

3

Urgency

Filter by how urgently the other tenant wants to move: urgent, flexible, or no rush. If you need to move quickly, filter for urgent listings to find people on the same timeline.

4

Purchase right

Filter for Right to Buy, Right to Acquire, Preserved Right, or no purchase right. Important if buying your home one day is part of your plan.

5

Max rent

Set a maximum weekly rent. We automatically convert between weekly and monthly so you see consistent results regardless of how tenants entered their rent amount.

6

Swap type, age restriction, and under-occupancy

Filter for direct swaps only or chain-eligible listings. Exclude age-restricted properties if they don't suit you. Filter for properties that allow under-occupancy if you're looking to have a spare room.

The "More Filters" accordion

Below the main filters, click More Filters to reveal additional options that let you get really specific:

Property features

Filter for garden, separate dining room, driveway, garage, outdoor buildings, shed, lift access, adapted for disability, pets allowed, and own transport needed. These map directly to the features each tenant has tagged on their listing.

Nearby amenities

Filter for listings near schools, doctors, parks, supermarkets, bus stops, train stations, shops, dentists, and petrol stations. Essential if you rely on public transport or need to be near specific services.

Sort options and the match filter

Once your filters are set, choose how results are ordered:

Newest firstSee the most recently published or updated listings at the top.
Best matchRanked by how well each listing matches your swap preferences (the match percentage).
Ready soonestUrgent listings first, then flexible, then no rush.
Recently activeTenants who've been online recently appear first, so you know they're actively looking.

The 50%+ match filter

Toggle this on to only see listings where the match percentage is 50% or higher. This is calculated by comparing the other tenant's property and preferences against your own swap preferences. It's a quick way to cut through the noise and focus on genuinely compatible swaps.

Map view vs list view

Switch between list view (the default) and map view at any time using the toggle at the top of results. Map view shows every matching listing as a pin on an interactive OpenStreetMap — click any pin to see a summary card with the property photo, bedrooms, type, and a link to the full listing.

Map view is particularly useful when you're searching by postcode radius and want to see exactly where each property is in relation to schools, transport links, or family. Pins cluster together when zoomed out, and spread apart as you zoom in.

Saved searches, shortlist, and dismissing

Saved searches with email alerts

Once you've set your filters, click Save Search to keep those exact criteria. Turn on email alerts and we'll notify you when new listings match your saved search — so you don't have to check the site every day. Free accounts can save 1 search; Premium accounts get unlimited saved searches.

The shortlist

Found a listing you like but not ready to message? Click the heart icon to add it to your shortlist. You can review all shortlisted properties from your dashboard. Free accounts can shortlist up to 3 listings; Premium accounts get unlimited shortlists.

Dismissing listings

Not interested in a particular listing? Click dismiss and it won't appear in your search results again. You can undo dismissals from your dashboard at any time. This keeps your results clean and focused on properties you're genuinely considering.

Pre-filling from swap preferences and tips for finding matches faster

If you've set your swap preferences in your dashboard settings, the search page will automatically pre-fill your filters to match. This means you can go straight to results without re-entering your criteria each time. You can always adjust the filters for a specific search without changing your saved preferences.

Tips for finding matches faster

  • 1. Fill in all your swap preferences so the match percentage works properly for other tenants searching for you.
  • 2. Start with a wider radius (25 miles) and narrow down — you might find perfect matches in towns you hadn't considered.
  • 3. Use fewer filters first, then add more. Over-filtering can hide good options.
  • 4. Check back regularly or turn on saved search alerts — new listings go live every day.
  • 5. Use the "exclude already messaged" toggle to focus on fresh leads you haven't contacted yet.
  • 6. Consider chain swaps if direct matches are scarce — our chain swap guide explains how.

Frequently Asked Questions

We use the postcodes.io API to convert your postcode into geographic coordinates, then calculate the straight-line distance (using the Haversine formula) to every listing. Only listings within your chosen radius appear in results. If the postcode lookup fails, we fall back to a town name search.

The match percentage shows how closely a listing aligns with your swap preferences. It compares things like bedrooms, property type, location, and features. A higher percentage means a better fit. You can filter to only show 50%+ matches. See our match percentage guide for the full breakdown.

Yes. You can browse all listings, use all filters, and view the map without signing up. You'll need an account to save searches, shortlist listings, or contact other tenants.

Your own listing is automatically excluded, as are listings from users you've blocked or dismissed. Inactive users (who haven't logged in recently) are also filtered out to keep results relevant.

Free accounts can save 1 search with email alerts. Premium accounts get unlimited saved searches. All your filter settings are stored exactly as you set them, so you can pick up where you left off.

A saved search stores your filter criteria and can alert you to new matches. The shortlist stores specific listings you're interested in — think of it as a favourites list. Free accounts get 3 shortlist slots; Premium gets unlimited.

Premium members can see who has viewed and saved their listing. This is a great way to spot interested tenants who haven't messaged you yet — you could reach out to them first.

Saved search alerts are checked and sent once daily at 8am. If new listings match your saved filters since the last alert, you'll get an email with a summary and links to view them.

Ready to find your perfect swap?

Use our powerful search tools to find compatible swaps near you. Set your filters, save your search, and let us do the work.

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