A COUPLE who cannot afford the spiralling cost of rents say they could be forced to leave Jersey, after being told the lease on their home of almost three decades would not be renewed.
Former honorary police officers Tina Heath (61) and her partner Brian Hacquoil (70) – who both gave years of voluntary service to their parish – spoke out about the ‘extortionate’ rents they have faced in their search for new accommodation and called for more help to get on sheltered-housing schemes.
The latest house-price index shows that advertised rental prices were 12% higher than during the first quarter of 2021 and many two-bed homes now cost at least £2,000 a month.
The couple live in a two-bedroom cottage in St Lawrence, which they have rented for less than £1,000 per month for nearly 30 years, but need to move out of the property by Christmas as their lease is not being renewed.
Mr Hacquoil, who suffers from various health issues including heart failure, diabetes and spinal stenosis, said: ‘I don’t know what has happened to this island, because it never used to be like this. I don’t know where we will go if we have to leave, but if we do we will be leaving all our friends and family behind. Seventy years as a Jerseyman and you get treated like this, it’s not on.’
He added: ‘No one seems to be interested – it’s disgusting.’
Mr Hacquoil served with the honorary police for more than six years, first as a Constable’s Officer and eventually as a Vingtenier.
‘I enjoyed it and I would still be doing it if I was able to. It’s such a shame to have put all this time into the parish and get nothing back.’
Ms Heath, who worked in a bank for 40 years and was a Constable’s Officer for nearly ten years, said that all their savings would be drained if they were to take on another rent at the current prices.
‘We feel kicked in the teeth. We paid into the system and do not want to leave Jersey because it is our home, but if there’s no help coming then we might be pushed to do so,’ she said.
Mr Hacquoil, who worked for the States Parks and Gardens Department for over 40 years, receives his work pension and social security pension, which he said was only ‘slightly more’ than the £1,000 per month Ms Heath receives through her work pension.
Ms Heath said that the couple did not qualify for affordable housing because they had savings, and added that they had also applied for multiple sheltered-accommodation schemes in the parish but it would ‘probably be years’ before somewhere was available.
‘We are still viewing properties, we went and saw one the other day that was £2,000 per month and it was a dump. People like me and Brian have no chance in the rental market – I’d have thought we would get more assistance but that’s just the way it is,’ she added.
Parish Constable Deidre Mezbourian said: ‘I am aware of their unfortunate situation and have spoken with them. It is disappointing that, for whatever reason, they are having to leave the home they have lived in for many years.’
She added that she did have plans to increase the number of sheltered housing units in the parish but that this was ‘on hold’ until after the election. ‘It is a particularly sad case as I served with both Tina and Brian in the honorary police,’ she said.
Parishioner Emily Joseph, who is also running for Constable in the election, said: ‘I am fully supportive of them and their situation – they served as honoraries and have committed a lot of time to the parish, so they should be supported as soon as possible. We do need to build more sheltered housing.’
RENTS
According to the latest house-price index, advertised rental prices were 12% higher than they were in the first quarter of 2021. Below are some examples of current two-bed listings (source: Places.je)
– Two-bedroom one-bathroom house in St Martin (£2,900 per month)
– Two-bedroom one-bathroom apartment in Trinity (£2,100 per month)
– Two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment in St Helier (£1,700 per month)
– Two-bedroom one-bathroom apartment in St Helier (£2,500 per month)
– Two-bedroom two-bathroom house in St Helier (£1,950 per month)
– Two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment in St Lawrence (£2,200 per month)
– Two-bedroom one-bathroom house in St Martin (£1,950 per month)
–Two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment in St Brelade (£2,000)
– Two-bedroom two-bathroom apartment in St Clement (£2,300)
– Two-bedroom one-bathroom house in Trinity (£1,900)
