15 APRIL 2026 was a date almost certainly circled on Housing Minister Sam Mézec’s calendar – and one of significance for the thousands of Islanders who rent their homes, as well as their landlords.
Changes to the Island’s residential tenancy legislation came into force yesterday, in what the Reform Jersey leader described as a “historic” day and a key milestone in his campaign to “bring greater clarity and fairness to Jersey’s rental sector”.
The Residential Tenancy (Jersey) Amendment Law 2025 was approved by the States Assembly in September, following a landmark debate that initially kicked off in July but was pushed back to give scrutiny extra time to review the proposals.
What are the main changes?
Amongst the more heavily-debated elements of the new legislation are the restrictions on rent increases, which can now only be implemented once per year and with two months’ notice.
And the increases can be no more than Jersey’s rate of inflation (RPI), unless the rent has been “significantly below” market rent or the property has been improved to the tenant’s benefit.
Alongside this is the ability for tenants to challenge unfair rent hikes through a new Rent Tribunal, although Deputy Mézec told the JEP that “we don’t anticipate many cases at all coming up in the early days” due to transitionary provisions within the amended law and the type of rent stabilisation mechanisms introduced.
Additionally, periodic tenancies – those with no fixed end date – are intended to be the default under the new rules.
Landlords and tenants can still agree an initial fixed term of up to three years at the start of the tenancy. When that fixed term ends, the tenancy will either end if notice is
given or automatically convert into a periodic tenancy if it continues.
What does this mean for existing tenancies?
The amended law does not apply to all tenancy agreements at once.
Fixed-term tenancies already in place before the new legislation came into force are able to continue on existing terms until the fixed term ends, after which a new tenancy can be agreed under the amended law or – if continuing – the tenancy may roll into a new periodic tenancy.
However, any periodic tenancy already in place automatically falls under the amended law, in which case its rules on notice, total duration and rent increases apply immediately.
Written agreements do not need to be replaced straight away, but the government has noted that “the rights and protections of the amended law apply regardless of paperwork updates”.
Deputy Mézec said: “The law was deliberately designed to have decent transitionary arrangements so people weren’t going to be hit with everything from day one.”
The minister also highlighted that: “Provisions in the law are still hands-off provisions – the law didn’t introduce new licences or new forms to fill in, or new permissions.
“Even if there are people out there who don’t necessarily pick up on the changes right away, nothing bad will happen if nothing goes wrong. So if both landlord and tenant are still happy and it’s just an accidental thing that’s not in line with it, they’re not going to get in trouble over it.”
Changes do not “unduly disadvantage” landlords
Prior to last year’s debate, the Jersey Landlords Association warned of “unintended consequences” that could be triggered by certain aspects of the new legislation if it was approved.
At the time, the JLA stated that surveys of its members indicated “widespread concern” and that “over 90% oppose the reforms, with almost 70% considering selling some rental properties if implemented”.
Following the States Assembly’s decision, JLA chair Guy Morris told the JEP that the Association respected the democratic process and would work with its members to help them “adjust” to the changes.
Deputy Mézec stressed that “there is nothing in the law that unduly disadvantages a landlord who isn’t doing anything wrong” and that those who examined the new legislation would be “pleasantly surprised that it’s not as bad as what some people were telling them”.
“A lot of hard work”
And he has previously acknowledged that the changes, which mark the biggest overhaul of Jersey’s residential tenancy law in more than a decade, represent “the biggest and hardest challenge” he’d taken on during his time as Housing Minister.
He said: “I always had confidence in my team, the team who I’ve worked with in Union Street whilst we’ve been working on this project.
“Every one of them has been absolutely incredible, so I always had confidence that they would be able to get things ready to sign it all off before the election – but it was a lot of hard work and they were extremely diligent in doing all of that.
“So the credit actually goes to them, rather than me, working so hard to get everything ready to go before the election.”
New guidance
To help landlords, tenants and letting agents understand how the amended law will work in practice, the government has published public guidance explaining the new requirements, transitional arrangements, notice rules, rent increase protections and the operation of the Rent Tribunal.
There is also a fully updated model residential tenancy agreement and accompanying guidance that complies with the amended law.
“The materials are intended to help Islanders navigate the updated legal framework confidently and understand their rights and responsibilities when letting or renting a property,” the government stated on Wednesday.
