25 March 2025
Minister for Housing, Deputy Sam MĂ©zec, has proposed major updates to the Residential Tenancy (Jersey) Law 2011 in what would be the biggest overhaul of residential tenancy legislation in more than a decade.
The proposed changes, which will be debated by the States Assembly in the summer, seek to improve rights for tenants, whilst balancing them against the needs of landlords, and ensure the rental sector in the Island thrives.
In April last year, Deputy Mézec published his way forward to address the changes, calling the delivery of the updated law a “crucial" step, to ensure “modern and focused" legislation.
Deputy Mézec said: “I am delighted to have reached this stage. The proposed changes aim to balance the rights and responsibilities of tenants and landlords and introduce more clarity.
“I want to ensure that tenants know their rights and have greater protection regarding evictions, especially when they are given notice for no reason."
The proposed amendments will also:
​​guard against unsustainable rent increases which, under the current law, can be imposed more than once a year;
mean that tenants can challenge rent increases if the proposed rent increase is unlawful;
​aim to deliver greater long-term certainty by limiting the use of fixed-term tenancies and strengthening notice provisions in periodic tenancies, so landlords can still regain possession of their property when they need to, but tenants cannot be kicked out of a property unfairly.
Deputy Mézec added: “Jersey has a housing crisis which is deeply affecting our community. Renters in particular have faced great difficulties, compounded by out-of-date laws which fail to provide them with safe, secure and affordable homes.
“Delivering a modern and fit-for-purpose framework will go a huge way to alleviating this aspect of the housing crisis.
“I am pleased with the feedback that these proposals have received so far, including from good landlords who have told me the proposals make sense, and will help raise the bar across the board."
Improving the experience of renters is one of the Minister's three priorities. The other two priorities are supporting more Islanders into home ownership and addressing the plight of homelessness .
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