Housing Qualifications - decision to reduce to 11 years

20 March 2009

The States have agreed a proposal by the Housing Minister to reduce the housing qualification period by 1 year -to 11 years.

Senator Terry Le Main has said: “A one year reduction will make the present system fairer, and is considered just reward for long standing residents. I have reviewed all the evidence from the Population Office, and I am satisfied that a small reduction will not affect house prices”.

This proposal is also part of a gradual move toward a 10 year qualification period agreed by the States.

Senator Le Main is aware that house prices in Jersey already present severe challenges for many residents, and is determined not to make any changes that will affect them. He is also concerned that standards of accommodation for people patiently waiting for their qualifications should be maintained and improved. New qualifiers are expected to make up less than 3% of all purchases in the coming year. 

The Population Office will now process requests for housing qualifications from non Jersey born persons who have been in the Island for a continuous period of 11 years. In order to receive their qualifications, evidence of residence must be provided, including proof of place of residence and / or employment, ideally with evidence of a Social Security record also, for the whole of the 11 year period.

                                                                                    -ends-

  Notes to Editors:

  1. For further information, please contact Senator Terry le Main on Tel: 720040, or Deputy Sean Power on 744454, or Paul Bradbury , Director, Population Office on Tel:  448997 .

  2. The States agreed in P25/2005 to reduce the qualification period to 10 years. The Housing Minister has been gradually reducing the qualification period for a number of years to achieve this decision, but froze any further reductions in 2008 because of the active housing market.

  3.   Historically, when qualifications have been reduced by 1 year, it is estimated that this has added around 3% to number of properties sold in that year, with most new qualifiers either staying in their present home, or going on to rent property.

  5.   Numbers of new qualifiers who have leased or accepted onto States Rental are also very low, with around 19 households following this route in 2008.