TENANTS who move into Andium accommodation between July and December will be provided grants, instead of loans, to pay for replacement carpets in new rentals, after a proposition passed by the States Assembly.
However, a separate part of the proposal – brought forward by Reform Jersey Deputy Rob Ward – to terminate outstanding loan payments relating to the provision of carpets was rejected.
Social Security Minister Elaine Millar has this week also agreed to work with social-housing providers to review their policy relating to the provision of flooring when new tenants move in.
During the debate, Deputy Ward said that grants used to be provided and that the change to special payment loans had been a ‘mistake’.
He said: ‘Income Support is designed to keep people on a basic level of living. This repayment of carpet loans puts them over the edge and they do go to charities. They live without carpets because they don’t want to live with loans. It doesn’t make any sense whatsoever. This will directly improve the lives of some people in this Island. We’re talking about real people, real families, real lives.’
Deputy Ward added that the cost to the government would be minimal but ‘for the individuals involved, it is a very significant amount’.
His proposal came after Deputy Millar revealed that an estimated 114 Andium tenants were repaying loans for the provision of carpets, at a total cost of £108,000.
She explained that Andium provided homes on an unfurnished basis to save tenants from paying a security deposit to replace or renew damaged goods.
Deputy Millar added that the new system, which is due to come into effect on 1 July, was a ‘short-term temporary proposition’ while the review was completed.
However, she was ‘firmly opposed to any proposal [to terminate outstanding loans].
She said: ‘Terminating these loans would be unfair to those people who have already paid loans off and unfair to tenants who rent with a landlord other than Andium. I do not see any way to administer this part of the proposition fairly or as a sensible use of public money.
‘These loans represent debts to the taxpayer. The Assembly should only cancel debts in extreme circumstances, otherwise we create a dangerous precedent and a real risk of jeopardising government finances where people all over the Island start to ask not to pay back debts that are rightfully and lawfully due to government.’
Non-Andium tenants will continue to receive support through interest-free special payment loans.
