What Makes Home Swapping Safe?

Home swapping—when travelers stay in each other’s homes instead of a hotel or Airbnb—allows swappers to immerse themselves in local culture while enjoying the comforts of a real home. However, hosts and guests need to feel safe and comfortable for home swapping to work.

At Kindred, we’ve created a trusted, members-only network for home swapping. From home requirements and member verification to guest approvals and Host Protection, the safety of the Kindred community is our top priority. That’s why over 60,000 (and counting!) travelers have listed their homes on Kindred.

Let’s take a look at Kindred’s trust and safety measures—and hear from real community members about their experiences.

Everyone hosts

Home swapping with Kindred is all about trust and reciprocity. Kindred uses a give-to-get membership model—meaning that in order to be guests, members must also be hosts. Members earn credits for every night they host, which allows them to stay in Kindred homes in the future. 

Everyone has skin in the game because everyone shares their home with the community. Over 90% of homes on Kindred are primary residences, so members treat every home the way they want their own homes treated.

Every Kindred home is verified

First things first: All members need to apply to join Kindred. Member homes must meet our standards for safety and comfort—and we take this seriously.

When members apply, they provide their home’s address and details. Our team then reviews the application and ensures the home meets our criteria:

• Property requirements: This is our safety and legal checklist for Kindred homes. We require homes to have smoke detectors, carbon monoxide alarms, fire extinguishers, and locks. There can’t be any hazards, construction, or debris. Plus, every property must be owned or rented by the member listing it.
• Home standards: Kindred homes must be comfortable and well-furnished to be accepted. Homes need a full kitchen, a living area with seating, a double bed or larger, tasteful decor, and natural light. This requirement ensures properties are well equipped and supports our goal of offering real homes, not sterile rental properties.

Kindred also sends professionals to photograph member homes, which allows our team to confirm the accuracy of home descriptions.

Every Kindred member is vetted

All members are verified as part of the application process. In addition to having an eligible home, prospective members must:

• Verify their identity with a government-issued ID before taking a trip
• Agree to our Terms of Service and Member Code of Conduct

Terms of Service

We have comprehensive Terms that outline member responsibilities as hosts and guests. Our Terms include policies about pets, travel companions, gatherings, accidents, and more. We don’t leave anything to chance—it’s all in there, and our members agree to these Terms to keep everyone safe and happy.

Member Code of Conduct

At Kindred, trust is absolutely everything. It’s essential that all Kindred members act with respect, integrity, and transparency at all times.

Our Member Code of Conduct outlines how we expect members to behave. We hold our fellow members to a very high bar and have a zero-tolerance policy for violations, including deception, illegal activity, negligence, harassment, and more. Luckily, we have very few violations because our members understand that this community can’t exist without trust.  

Members review and approve each guest

You’re entirely in control of who stays in your home—members approve every guest and aren’t obligated to accept requests. If a fellow member wants to stay in your home, we send you their details, including:

• The member’s profile, which can include photos and/or video, information on each person in the household, and the member’s experience on Kindred
• Context on their trip and any additional guests they'd like to bring
• Ways to connect with the member, including video calls

Once you receive a request, you have some options. You can approve the request, message or arrange a video call with the member, propose other dates, or deny the request. Chatting with potential guests is a great way to feel comfortable before hosting them. Members usually end up hitting it off.

Your house, your rules

When you host on Kindred, you can set expectations with your guests. Every member creates a home guide sharing any quirks or nuances (for example, how to work the smart lights) and your house rules (for example, no shoes inside). Hosts also receive items they need to communicate with their guests inside their homes. We provide sticky notes so you can remind your guests of your rules (for example, a note on the table asking guests to use coasters). You’ll also get  “Privacy Please” stickers to indicate off-limits drawers, closets, and cabinets throughout the house (for example, your liquor cabinet). Kindred members are asked to be respectful of private spaces.

You have Host Protection

Kindred is here to protect you and your home. We offer a $100,000 Host Protection Guarantee in the event of any damage during a guest’s stay. Plus, we’re the first in the industry to include $1,000,000 in Liability Insurance Coverage for all hosts, free of charge. We also require each Kindred member to hold their own renters or homeowners insurance policy.

Thankfully, damage happens pretty rarely. If it does happen, members must disclose any damage immediately to their concierge. It’s a violation of our Code of Conduct if guests fail to disclose an accident to Kindred or their host. Again, Kindred is all about trust and transparency—we ask everyone to be honest and over-communicative about mistakes.

Your concierge is there to help

Home sharing is new for many Kindred members—it’s normal to have questions. When something comes up, it’s always best to just reach out and ask. Whether you’re a bit nervous about something or have a simple question, we encourage you to contact your concierge for support.

Ready to start swapping?

If you can’t tell already, we take trust and safety seriously at Kindred. Our goal is to create policies and features that make everyone feel comfortable with home swapping. But really, all the credit goes to our members who build trust in the community with every swap.