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A scheme asking islanders to report vacant properties to get unused homes back into Jersey's market is being axed by the new Housing Minister – just over a year after it was launched by his predecessor.
During a Scrutiny hearing yesterday, Deputy Sam Mézec told former Housing Minister David Warr that the Empty Homes Service would no longer be accepting reports and that the website would be shut down.
The Empty Homes Service formed part of Deputy Warr’s 'Action on Vacant Properties' plan – a 35-page document released in 2022 that outlined objectives designed to tackle the problem of empty homes in the island, of which there were estimated to be around 900.
It enabled islanders to log the location of properties they believed to be vacant by emailing or calling the service, or by reporting it online.
Among the "drastic measures" under serious consideration by Deputy Warr at the time was allowing government to compulsory purchase such properties to bring them back onto the market or levying an annual tax or charge against vacant properties to encourage people to dispose of those not in use.
Data collected last year showed that 260 cases were reported in the first six months.
In October it was confirmed that 36 homes had been classified as "in such a condition that is causing serious harm to the character and quality of the environment", and were referred to the Environment Minister for consideration.
Additionally, 38 cases were identified as homes that have been brought back into use, are being actively marketed, or are currently being refurbished "with a view to being brought back to the market".
However, Deputy Warr said it was difficult to assess how much of this was due to homeowners becoming aware of the service "poking around".
Deputy Mézec said the Empty Homes Service website will be closed down.
During yesterday's hearing of the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel, Deputy Warr asked Deputy Mézec if the work carried out on the Empty Homes Service – including the website – had "come to a halt".
Deputy Mézec responded: "It has, because it is not producing any results."
Panel member Deputy Tom Coles asked if there were no further reports being made and the service had reached a "natural conclusion".
But Deputy Mézec added: "We are not accepting any more reports at this point because the management of data that was being collated through that is not actually leading to anything. It's not leading to plans being put in place to get an empty home back into use."
He said he did not believe the service was "a good use of public time and money" and also confirmed that the website would be closed down.
Deputy Warr (above left) asked Deputy Mézec (right) if the work being done as part of the Empty Homes Service had "come to a halt".
Deputy Mézec: "We have learnt enough about the general causes of homes becoming empty and what could be a mechanism to get them back into use, that that is where focus is better spent directed rather than on data management which isn't actually producing results."
He said that the parish rates system and empty property management orders were among the possible methods that could be used to get a home back into use.
Speaking to Express after the hearing, Deputy Warr said he was "truly saddened" by the end of the service.
He continued: "There was a huge interest, certainly early on, from people reporting empty properties and sending in pictures."
"The problem is that [this decision] has basically kicked the can down the road," he claimed, adding that "political expediency has prevailed".
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FOCUS: How many empty homes does Jersey have? And can we revive them?
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