Second homes in Jersey (FOI)

​Request 

How many second homes are there in Jersey (a home that is not an islander's main place of residence.)? 

What is the number of second homes in the island from 2011 until 2021 and the number for 2022 if possible?

Response

The 2021 Census collected reasons for why properties were vacant at the time of the census and Statistics Jersey will, as in 2011, publish the proportion that were 'second home / holiday home'. This is a snapshot at the time of the census, and reasons for why a dwelling was vacant are available for only about half of dwellings vacant at the time of the 2021 Census. This data has not yet been analysed or published for 2021 – although Statistics Jersey expect to publish this analysis within the next 12 weeks. Article 36 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied. 

Further information is publicly available on www.gov.je in response to a previous Freedom of Information response. Article 23 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied. 

Multiple property ownership FOI (gov.je)

Articles applied 

Article 23 - Information accessible to applicant by other means 

(1) Information is absolutely exempt information if it is reasonably available to the applicant, otherwise than under this Law, whether or not free of charge.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant where the applicant may obtain the information. 

Article 36 - Information intended for future publication 

(1) Information is qualified exempt information if, at the time when the request for the information is made, the information is being held by a public authority with a view to its being published within 12 weeks of the date of the request.

(2) A scheduled public authority that refuses an application for information on this ground must make reasonable efforts to inform the applicant –

(a) of the date when the information will be published;

(b) of the manner in which it will be published; and

(c) by whom it will be published.

(3) In this Article, "published" means published –

(a) by a public authority; or

(b) by any other person. 

Public Interest Test 

Article 36 is a qualified exemption, which means that a public interest test has to be undertaken to examine the circumstances of the case and decide whether, on balance, the public interest in maintaining the exemption outweighs the public interest in disclosing the information. 

Public interest considerations favouring disclosure 

• disclosure of the information would support transparency and promote accountability to the general public. 

Public interest considerations favouring withholding the information 

• It is intended to publish this analysis within 12 weeks of the receipt of this request on www.gov.je. The information is currently being collated prior to publication and therefore it is not possible to release it at this stage.