The official version of this document can be found via the PDF button.
The below content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments.
1240/5(2821)
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR HOUSING BY DEPUTY G.P. SOUTHERN OF ST. HELIER
ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 4th APRIL 2006
Question
- F u rther to his reply to myquestionon the bandingof rents on 28th February 2006, will the Minister inform members what progress, if any, has been made onmodellingthe new structure of social housing rents especially with regard to theimpactupon tenants?
- D e spite his statement that "These proposals merely move rents within existing parameters" what percentage, if any, of tenants onmaximumsocialhousingrentsare estimated to see a rent rise as a result of the banding ofrent?
- W ould the Minister inform members whether the rent charged on properties which are refurbished and improved will move through the banding structure andincrease and, if so, how does this affect thenormal policy of a landlord's responsibility for structural orexternalrepairs?
- W hat impact, if any, will thebandingof rents have on private sector rent levels andtrendsandhowdoes this support the percentage increase in social rents outlined in(b)above?
Answer
- S o meprogresshas been made.Withsome4,600tenants,all with varying means, the impactofchanging the rent structure will take some time to model with accuracy.No new rent structure will be introduced without careful modelling and consultation with States Tenants. Thetask is therefore on-going.
- M o d e llinghasnot yet been completed and therefore itisnotpossibleat this stage to indicate howmany tenants maybe affected.
- I t is presumed and intended that properties in band d will be those which require the most urgent refurbishment work and that asandwhen they receive significant refurbishment they will move to oneof the higher rent bands. Which band the property moves to will be dependant upon the level of that refurbishment work. This should not affect our responsibility as a landlord to undertake structural or any other running repairs as and when they are required. Suchrunning repairs would not affect a property's banding.
- A s it is not proposed that the Department'sfairormaximumrentsforany particular categoryofproperty will beincreasedas a resultofthenew rents structure, there should benoobviousor direct impacton private sector rents.