How Swapshop works

Swapshop is a place to swap skills without money changing hands. A plumber fixes a tap; a tiler re-grouts a shower; a maths tutor gets their hedge cut. What's fair is up to the two of you.

1. Join

Swapshop is in private beta, so you need an invite code from Smallism or an existing member. You must be 18 or over. We only keep your postcode district (like SW9), never your full address.

2. Say what you offer and what you need

Add listings for the skills you can offer and the help you're looking for. Show people what you can do with photos of your work, your tools or your van, and testimonials from people you've helped. Smallism checks new listings and photos before they go live.

Some work, like gas and notifiable electrical work, can only legally be done by registered people. If you offer it, you'll need to say how you're registered, and other members can check you on the official register.

3. Find a match

Browse what's on offer near you, or open your matches: people who need what you offer, people who offer what you need, and best of all, people who do both.

4. Agree a swap

Message them, then propose a swap: what you'll each do, and roughly how big each job is. They can accept, suggest changes or say no thanks. Nothing is agreed until you both say so, and either of you can call it off. Read our safety guidance before your first swap.

5. Do it, then review

When the work's done, you each mark the swap as done and say whether you'd swap with them again. Reviews stay hidden until you've both written one, so nobody has to worry about a tit-for-tat review.

What about credits?

Swaps don't have to be one-for-one forever. Swapshop already keeps a quiet record of completed swaps, and later we'll add credits, so you can help someone today and get help from someone else next month. Credits will never be money: they can't be bought, sold or exchanged for cash.