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WQ.203/2025
WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE CHIEF MINISTER BY DEPUTY B.B. DE S.V.M. PORÉE OF ST. HELIER SOUTH QUESTION SUBMITTED ON TUESDAY 6th MAY 2025 ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON WEDNESDAY 14th MAY 2025
Question
"Following recent media reports regarding the standard of worker accommodation, will the Chief Minister advise what conversations, if any, he has had with the Minister for the Environment to ensure that lessons are learned and that the Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Jersey) Law 2018 is enforced to protect migrant seasonal workers and to ensure that accidents similar to that reported will not occur again?"
Answer
The Minister for the Environment and I have discussed the issue and we are committed to ensuring that Jersey's regulations protect all tenants, including migrant seasonal workers.
The Minister for the Environment has ensured that measures have been put in place through the Housing and Nuisance team in the Regulation Directorate to improve the standards of rental accommodation in Jersey. This will be achieved through the implementation and enforcement of a licencing scheme under the Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Jersey) Law 2018.
The licensing scheme aims to ensure that all rented dwellings' meet minimum health and safety standards, protecting all tenants. The scheme commenced on 1st May 2024 and the law allowed for a transitional period until 31st July 2024, to enable existing rented dwellings to be licensed automatically without the need for an inspection. A total of 16,884 licenses were issued through these arrangements. Since the transitional period closed, 704 licenses have been issued and 295 were selected for inspection. These inspections cover various aspects such as structural safety, fire safety, sanitation, and overall living conditions.
These properties are a representative sample of the applications being made in terms of the type and age of the properties, which would include some migrant workers' accommodation, although this information is not collected as part of the application process.
The Regulation Directorate provides support and guidance to landlords. This includes information resources, workshops prior to implementation, guidance material (translated into three other languages) and toolkits, and direct assistance from officers in the Housing and Nuisance team. The published Code of Practice, updated in April 2025, provides detailed guidance on the standards and procedures for maintaining rented dwellings. This document provides practical advice for landlords on how to comply with the regulations.
The Minister of the Environment has committed to publish an annual report after the anniversary of the start of the scheme, which will contain further information.