Since then, the Residential Tenancy Law has been supplemented by the Residential Tenancy (Condition Reports) (Jersey) Order 2014 and the Residential Tenancy (Deposit Scheme) (Jersey) Regulations 2014.

Jersey rented dwelling law changes

The latest legislative development is the Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Jersey) Law 201- (the “Rented Dwellings Law”), which the States Assembly approved last December. It will come into force once it has been sanctioned by the Privy Council.

The Rented Dwellings Law was prepared with input from officers from Planning, Housing, Health and Social Services and Jersey Fire and Rescue. Its aim is to set minimum standards across the rented dwelling sector to match those already adopted by the Social Housing sector.

Jersey lettings standards

Under the Rented Dwellings Law the Minister for the Environment is made responsible for introducing measures to ensure minimum standards of health and safety are met by rented dwellings. This will be achieved by the Minister making Orders, which among other things may prescribe what structural or other defects to be found in rented dwellings will be regarded as hazards, the method of assessing risks posed by these hazards and the level of risk that is acceptable for any hazard. The Minister is also given the power to prepare, issue and revise codes of practice to provide practical guidance in respect of any provision of the Law or its Orders.

These Ministerial powers are given teeth by the powers of investigation and enforcement contained in the Rented Dwellings Law. There is a range of enforcement options, from the issuing of “hazard awareness advice” to the landlord and/or the tenant through to the issuing of an “improvement notice” to the landlord or, in the most serious cases, the issuing to the landlord of a “prohibition notice”.

Perhaps more controversially, the Rented Dwellings Law gives the States the power to make Regulations to establish a scheme of licensing rented dwellings, and in particular to enable the Minister to issue and charge for licences. Unlike Orders, which are made by Ministers and presented to the States Assembly, Regulations are made by the States Assembly itself, so any proposed Regulations to introduce a licensing system would require a vote of the Assembly.

The meaningful detail in relation to the Rented Dwellings Law will be contained in the Orders and Regulations which are made pursuant to it. Whilst it will, as always, be a case of suspending full judgement until the detail is known, it is heartening that the Minister has made clear to the States Assembly his commitment to achieving the right balance: “I can ensure Members that I will work with them across government to ensure that whatever is necessary to have a strong, vibrant rental sector, where tenants are protected, but landlords can also run their businesses without unnecessary bureaucracy.”

Share
Twitter LinkedIn Email Save as PDF
More Publications
11 Jul 2023

Proposed Regulation of Consumer Credit in Jersey

Find out more about the Jersey Government’s suggested regulation of the consumer credit regime and...

1 Jun 2023

What is a Pre-Let Agreement?

Whether you're a landlord or tenant looking for pre-let advice, we can help. Our expert property law...

17 May 2023

More changes to Jersey's Anti-Money Laundering Regime (AML)

Our experts look at latest proposals to the legal and regulatory anti-money laundering framework in ...

10 May 2023

Establishing a single family office in Jersey

Want to know more about establishing a family office in Jersey? Find out what a family office is and...

27 Apr 2023

Change of control of regulated entities in Jersey

Find out how Appleby Jersey has advised upon a number of changes of control scenarios in different c...

20 Mar 2023

Trusts: Comparison between the Crown Dependencies

Our Private Client and Trusts specialists in Guernsey, Isle of Man and Jersey outline some of the ke...

15 Mar 2023

Changes to the Jersey Competition Law Framework

Following the launch of the Government of Jersey's consultation on proposed changes to the competiti...

14 Mar 2023

Jersey Property Unit Trusts and the Trust Regulation Service

Our Appleby team looks at HMRC's recently updated guidance on Jersey Property Unit Trusts (JPUTs) an...

23 Feb 2023

Enforcement of security under the Security Interests (Jersey) Law 2012

Find out more about why the Security Interests (Jersey) Law 2012 (2012 Law) makes Jersey popular as ...

22 Feb 2023

Listing Variable Funding Notes (VFNs) on The International Stock Exchange (TISE)

This article explores what a Variable Funding Note is and offers an introduction to what is required...