House swapping made easy

If you’ve flirted with couch surfing and tried raking in some extra euros on Airbnb but are concerned about the tax implications, then Nightswapping, a stay service that costs almost nothing, might be the thing to try this summer. The (almost) moneyless service allows you to stay in a host’s home either with them or on your own. By hosting guests you earn credits that you then spend staying at any of the other members’ homes. The guest or guests pays a nominal €10 for this pleasure.

Eighty five per cent of the 60,000 members are located in Europe and, given that this is a French idea, about 30 per cent of the locations are in France. The site has about one thousand Irish members.

The service differs from traditional house swapping in that you don’t have to return the favour. You are free to stay where you like and when you like.

The accommodation on offer includes a tower in Verona, a barge in Amsterdam, or an apartment in a French chateaux near Lyon. Nightswapping does require a degree of trust in strangers that may not come naturally. Download the app at nightswapping.com