CHANGES to the Island’s Residential Tenancy Law, which may give tenants more protection and place a limit on rent rises, could be introduced within a year, the Housing Minister has said.
Deputy David Warr recently published a white paper consultation which will ultimately feed into an update of the law.
However, he has faced criticism from some – not least former Housing Minister Deputy Sam Mézec – for delaying some changes.
Among the proposals Deputy Warr has outlined within the consultation are the introduction of open-ended tenancies, increasing the minimum notice period of tenancies and limiting the amount and frequency of rent increases. An in-committee debate is due to be held in the Assembly next week.
However, many of the proposals are already the subject of a proposition from Deputy Mézec, who wants to see them introduced before the end of this year. Speaking at an Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny hearing yesterday, Deputy Warr said that the Council of Ministers was in ‘listening mode’ to ensure that any changes were fit for purpose and that Deputy Mézec’s timeline was unrealistic. The minister said he wanted to ‘have a brand new law in place by the first quarter of next year’ and it was ‘important to consult’ with both tenants and landlords.
He said: ‘The problem we historically have had is this piecemeal approach to legislation and it is just this constant little chipping away. I am determined to end that approach.
‘I really want to see one over-arching law which is not just fit for purpose for today but going into the future. I think what we have to recognise is the environment in which we are operating is constantly changing. Airbnb was not on anybody’s radar a decade ago – now we know there are [around] 120 homes on Airbnb being taken out of circulation. I am determined to build into the law a degree of flexibility which recognises market changes as well as sorting out issues today.’
