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Work is progressing on law changes which would allow islanders to advertise their properties as short-term holiday lets for 12 weeks per year on sites like Airbnb – without applying for planning permission.
Environment Minister Steve Luce revealed in this morning’s States Assembly sitting that his team were currently progressing an amendment to the Planning and Building (General Development) (Jersey) Order 2008.
Deputy Luce said the changes "should be in place within the next couple of weeks" and would be accompanied by supplementary planning guidance to offer "further clarity for the industry and those who may wish to consider letting out their home on a short-term basis"
This builds on work initiated by former Environment Minister Jonathan Renouf who said that he had signed off on a Ministerial Decision to enable those listing accommodation on websites such as Airbnb – which allows people to offer short-term lodgings or home stays for a fee – to do so for 12 weeks a year without having to apply for official permission.
In November 2022, Deputy Renouf and former Housing Minister David Warr announced that officers were cracking down on islanders advertising entire properties as short-term holiday lets without permission, in an effort to address Jersey's housing crisis and enforce planning laws.
This is because, under the island's Planning and Building Law, the use of a property for short-term holiday letting is defined as "development" and requires planning permission.
However, Deputy Renouf said that the recent Ministerial Decision sought to strike a "balance" in the way the matter was being addressed.
He explained: "It instructed law drafters to change the general development order so that you could have 12 weeks a year to let out your property or a room within that property as a short-term holiday let without planning permission."
Constable of St Mary David Johnson asked whether this would affect the need to apply to tourism for a licence if the number of people using that residential accommodation exceeded six people.
Deputy Luce said he would investigate the matter.
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