It was good enough for Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz in the 2006 film The Holiday.

Now a family from Balham admits they are converts to holiday house-swap scheme. Eleanor Harding reports.

Susan and Nick Woodware are soaking up the sun in a beautiful national park near Marseille. It’s August 2007 and they’ve swapped their humble home in Balham with French family the Galises for two weeks.

Their new house comes with a swimming pool, balcony and even an Audi.

Susan, 41, and her 45-year-old husband – along with four-year-old Lydia and Alice, two - can’t believe their luck. But the best part is, the French family think they’ve got the better deal.

It wasn’t so long ago the idea of holidaying in Balham seemed ridiculous, but gentrification and tough economic times have made it the ideal choice for foreign home exchangers.

“I recommend Balham to all my French friends,” says Isabelle Galise, 48. “The home is nice, in a quiet street but with many shops.

“We discovered good restaurants, a park and many trees. The Tube was right near our house and people were very polite and helped us when we needed information.”

Home exchanging in Balham is ideal for Isabelle and her husband Gerard, 48, who have four children - Dorothee, 17, Juliette, Sarah, both 15 and Antoine, 10 - as finding accommodation for such a large family in London is expensive.

They used the house as a base to explore the city sights, with the added benefit of being able to live like a local, with a car, kitchen and internet at their fingertips.

“Home exchangers are a bit different from normal tourists,” says Ans Lammers, owner of the website HomeForExchange.com, where the families met.

“They tend to be more interested in the locals rather than the number of amusement parks which can be visited.”

One of the advantages of home exchange is having ready-made friends and family waiting for you.

Last Easter when the Woodwares stayed in Poole, they had a chance meeting with neighbours of their exchange family in a restaurant.

Susan, 41, says: “The next thing we knew the lady’s son was coming round to play with our girls. The great thing is that when you arrive in these places you don’t feel like a stranger.”

Julie Osborne, from HomeExchange.com, says many families make lifelong friends, and even knew a man who found his future wife.

All sorts of homes are on offer, from Scottish castles to small cruise boats. Although most exchangers seek properties of a similar quality to theirs, living in London can increase the value of your home.

Home exchange agencies started cropping up in the nineties, using large directory books.

The internet has made things much easier, and with the credit crunch hitting many families this year, giving up one’s home for free accommodation is becoming much more attractive.

“I know a guy who has escaped the British winter every year five times running in Australia,” says Julie. “He’s saved thousands of pounds. It’s the recession-proof way of holidaying.”

But there are pitfalls, as exchange partners can drop out at the last minute in the absence of a legally-binding contract. Theft and damage are also a risk, although home swappers say it’s rare.

“Some of my friends think I’m mad doing this,” says Susan. “But it’s all about having the right attitude.

“If someone wants to rob you, they can- but you do know where they live!”

Want to swap your pad? Ans Lammers says:

  • Supply as much information as possible about yourself, your home and your exchange plans to prevent miscommunication
  • Make your home exchange partners feel welcome putting a bottle of wine on the table with a friendly welcome note.
  • Give your exchange partner some tips of what to do or involve your friends in showing them around.
  • Agree with your exchange partner to use an online home exchange agreement and purchase accommodation insurance.