CHANGES to Jersey’s controversial housing qualification system which severely limits where many migrants live could come in next year, the Housing Minister has confirmed.
Deputy Sam Mézec told a Scrutiny panel that these would be “tweaks”, for example to qualification periods or to the licensing system.
Discussions were taking place in the Housing and Work Advisory Group he is a member of about how to create a more equitable system “which sits easier on our consciences and is also good for the economy”.
Addressing the Environment, Housing and Infrastructure Scrutiny Panel, Deputy Mézec said the group was modelling the potential on the qualified housing market and general population, among other factors.
Deputy Mézec said while there had been no “obvious solution” that everyone around the table had agreed on, the Chief Minister would be looking to amend the law in 2025 “if we agree on changes that we think are sensible and safe to make”.
He added: “If we thought that we found scenarios that looked okay, then that might determine if we were to go to a new system immediately, or whether we phased it in over five years.”
This comes after Deputy Mézec labelled Jersey’s tiered housing system “unfair” and “discriminatory” at a Chamber Lunch in July.
Deputy Mézec said there was “widespread understanding among government members” that there was an underlying issue of “fairness and equality”.
“As an Island society, we invite people to come here and work, and we exclude them from the housing opportunities that people who’ve been here a bit longer than them have,” he said.
“That doesn’t sit well.
“I’ve got friends who haven’t lived in Jersey for ten years who I have to look in the eye and know that the rules make them subordinate to me in the housing market. And I don’t like that.”
Commenting on the economic impact of the system, he said: “If we want to recruit people and keep them here working in those industries that we desperately want them in, we need to be able to offer them decent lives and prospects that they can be satisfied with.”
Current entitlements
Under the current system, many Islanders who have lived in Jersey for less than ten years are classified as “registered” and can only access a very limited part of the housing market. Registered housing stock consists mostly of guest-houses, lodging houses and spare rooms.
Meanwhile, those who have lived here for ten years are “entitled” and do not face any restrictions on properties they can rent, buy or sell.
“Licensed” qualifications are given to Islanders deemed “essential” employees who can buy, sell or rent any property, other than first-time buyer or social housing.
Someone who has lived in Jersey for five consecutive years becomes “entitled for work” and can buy property jointly with an entitled or licensed spouse or civil partner, and can rent a registered property as a main place of residence.
