THE Environment Minister has said he remains committed to introducing a new ‘light-touch’ £30-a-year licensing regime for rented properties, despite opposition from landlords at what he described as a ‘fairly hostile’ public meeting this week.
Deputy Jonathan Renouf hopes that the Assembly will back the new scheme when it is debated next month, while one charity head has called on States Members to do so after saying he was ‘shocked’ by what he witnessed at the meeting, describing the behaviour as like that of a ‘baying mob’.
If approved, all rented dwellings would require a licence, with officers able to withhold or withdraw that licence if a property was deemed to be unsafe.
Around 60 people attended the public meeting with the minister on Tuesday at St James Centre – the vast majority being landlords – with the atmosphere described as ‘quite threatening’ by Patrick Lynch, who is chief executive of Catholic charity Caritas.
Meanwhile, Deputy Renouf said it was ‘very striking’ no tenants turned up. Despite the frosty reception, he said he remained committed to the scheme.
Deputy Renouf added: ‘It was a fairly hostile meeting. I had said that I did not want officers to come because while politicians are expected to take a certain amount of hostility, that is not fair on officials.
‘It was very striking that there were no tenants at the meeting, although it was open to everyone. I think that speaks to the potential power imbalance and an atmosphere of open hostility to proposals and, indeed, attempts to argue that there was no need for any kind of regulation at this time.
‘It would certainly not prompt tenants to come forward and put their head above the parapet. The danger of being shouted down, as I was at times, would not be encouraging.’
Guy Morris, who is chair of the Jersey Landlords’ Association and attended the meeting, said it had been ‘robust’ and ‘not hostile at all’.
Meanwhile, JLA president Robert Weston added the meeting had been ‘very civilised’ and the audience had ‘put their points across articulately’.
Deputy Renouf said: ‘I don’t think I’ve won over those landlords who are entrenched in their opposition to it. What I have done is address a lot of concerns in what I consider to be a proportionate way.
‘I am not recanting from the need for the scheme. I think it is really important and I have tried to design a scheme that has as light a footprint as possible.’
Mr Morris said: ‘Our fundamental point is that this new scheme cannot be seen in isolation. At the same time, we face the Housing Minister’s white paper on the Residential Tenancy Law, the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates and other Climate Change initiatives.
‘We also have the Economic Development Minister saying we have to increase our productivity by 7.5%. It is common knowledge that the enemy of productivity is red tape, yet the government appears keen to produce a lot more of it.’
He added: ‘There has been no impact assessment of the totality of these on the rental market. Most of our members are pensioners with one or two properties; we are not a group of greedy landlords who don’t care for our tenants. We want the small number of bad apples out as much as anyone.’
Speaking to Scrutiny on the issue this week, Deputy Renouf said that the licensing scheme would not require additional officers, which is why it would cost landlords £30 a year, or £60 over the two years that each licence would last.
If the States Assembly approve the scheme next month, it will come into force on 1 January 2024.
FACTBOX
The previous Assembly debated several propositions relating to the regulation of private rented dwellings, including attempts to introduce a licensing scheme. The most recent proposition to introduce a licensing scheme was defeated by a single vote.
Landlords oppose the scheme, arguing that a registration scheme would be better than licensing, as it would be simpler, less bureaucratic and less punitive.
