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Some landlords who recently paid for their £30-a-year Rented Dwellings Licence could be eligible for a refund, the Government has said.
Local landlords who purchased their licence but already held a 3*, 4* or 5* rating on the former ‘Rent Safe’ scheme can now apply for a refund for those properties.
The Government said this comes after Environment Minister Steve Luce pledged not to leave out of pocket those who had already achieved Rent Safe accreditation.
Pictured: Deputy Luce said he would not leave islanders who already had 'Rent Safe' accreditation out of pocket.
Initially, the law did not allow for the licence fee to be waived, but they said the system has now been set up to provide refunds to those who are eligible.
It added that fees would only be waived for their first licences and not for future ones.
From 1 August, it became illegal for a landlord to rent without a licence and properties may need to be inspected beforehand.
The licenses, which cost £60 and are valid for two years, are attached to the property itself – meaning that if the property is sold the licence will transfer to the new owner.
The Rented Dwellings Licensing Scheme, launched in May, was backed by States members last year after extensive debate as well as input from the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel.
It was brought forward by former Environment Minister Jonathan Renouf, who wanted to give officers the power to enforce minimum standards of rented accommodation that were introduced in 2018 – and was intended to better protect and improve rental properties in Jersey.
The Jersey Landlords' Association has since railed against the roll-out of the scheme, branding it "disorderly" and raising concerns over the application process and an alleged lack of consultation around industry guidance.
Rent Safe accredited Islanders should email renteddwellings@gov.je with copies of Rented Dwellings Licence certificates for properties inspected under the Rent Safe scheme, for which they would like a refund.
More details about the Rented Dwellings Licensing Scheme can be found on www.gov.je/RentedDwellings.
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