Proposals for digital landlords register

Thursday 18 June 2020

A local Deputy has put forward proposals for a digital register of landlords and tenants to be established along with an anonymous helpline to flag up sub-standard accommodation.

The idea comes from Deputy Rowland Huelin as a potential alternative to the landlord licensing scheme, which he asked to be deferred earlier this year.

The St. Peter representative says his plan should alleviate the fear of landlords and tenants alike regarding the financial impact a licensing scheme could have on them.

It comes after Deputy John Young, the Environment Minister, put forward plans for a law that would oblige landlords to hold a licence, costing up to £200, and be subject to inspections as part of a clampdown on low-quality rental accommodation in the island. 

It was hoped the scheme would standardise rented properties in Jersey for tenants, but it received a mixed response. 

Pictured: The Environment Minister previously put forward proposals for a licensing scheme.

The Jersey Landlords Association condemned the proposals as “costly and intrusive bureaucracy”, while a senior property lawyer raised concerns with Express about the inadvertent negative impact such a scheme might cause for tenants. 

On the day the proposals were due to be debated, on 25 February, Deputy Huelin called for them to be pushed back so that the Assembly could have more details on the inflationary effects of Deputy Young’s proposition.

“I believe it is very irresponsible of us as a government in a very overheated market to proceed with such measures without fully understanding and doing the detailed consultation of the likelihood of the rents going up as a result of this proposition,” he said.

The Environment Minister spoke passionately against this view, saying: “I say that the real debate should be about whether we weigh what is the potential inflation issue against safety of matters to do with gas inspection and circuit breakers on electricals which could kill people. So, that's a judgment you have to make. That's the real issue. What I'd like you to do is put this reference back out of the way, let's get on and deal with the main debate." 

The Assembly eventually voted to delay the debate. 

Pictured: Deputy Rowland Huelin is suggesting the creation of a digital register of landlords and tenants.

Now Deputy Huelin has brought forward proposals for a digital register of landlords and tenants to cover all accommodations, whether qualified, registered or in lodging houses and private dwellings.

He asked the Council of Ministers to investigate the feasibility of such register, based on the provisions of the Control of Housing and Work Law and the Lodging Homes Registration law. 

He asked for a report to be produced before 1 September.

In the report accompanying his proposition, Deputy Huelin wrote: “There is unquestionably a need to determine the number of rental properties in the Island and the number of occupants in each property. 

“Furthermore, as a society, we need to ensure that the rental properties are safe and not damaging to the physical and mental health of the tenants.”

He explained he wanted to avoid a potential increase of rents and that a potential reduction of the proposed licensing fee would “miss the point” as the actual fee is not the issue for landlords.

Pictured: Deputy Huelin said landlords are concerned about the “potential increased financial burden” to comply with the conditions of the licence.

Deputy Huelin said one of the concerns is the “potential increased financial burden” that would be placed on landlords to comply with the conditions of the licence.

He said this would not only cause the landlord to pass on the cost to tenants, but also lead some landlords to remove their properties from the market. 

“Landlords are businessmen – they have choices,” he wrote. “Why have an investment returning 2.5% – 4.5% gross return with increasing costs, risk and bureaucracy when any good wealth manager will give you 6% annualised?”

Deputy Huelin wrote that knowing the address, landlord and tenant of every rental property was a positive move and that a “more proportionate measure” to ensure the Environment Department are aware of substandard accommodation would be the creation of “a discrete and anonymous ‘help line’”. 

“There is also a major difference between a licence and a register, and I believe if adopted, will gain the support of landlords and alleviate the fear above,” he concluded. 

“It will also support private landlords to continue to offer a great service to 10,000 families in Jersey.”