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19-21 Broad Street | St Helier Jersey | JE2 4WE
Connétable Mike Jackson Chairman
EH&I Scrutiny Panel
BY EMAIL
13 January 2020
Dear Mike,
Re email: Minimum standards for rented dwellings licensing regulations
I write regarding your email on 8 January concerning the costs for the agricultural industry following the 3 December 2019 hearing.
P.106 introduces a simple licensing scheme in order to assist Environmental Health identify and therefore ensure enforcement of minimum standards of health and safety of rented dwellings.
These standards are already enshrined in Law; however, it is challenging when they don't have a comprehensive database to identify where rented properties are.
Staff accommodation falls within the definition of rented dwellings' for the purposes of ensuring these properties meet these minimum standards, to keep those staff and they families safe. Therefore, under the proposed licensing scheme the dwellings would require licences.
I am proposing a fee structure on a cost recovery basis. Mindful of duplication, Staff Accommodation', Lodging Houses' and Tourist Accommodation' which are registered under the Lodging Houses (Registration)(Jersey) Law 1962 and Tourism (Jersey) Law 1948, whilst not exempt from licensing, will not be subject to any addition fee on top of what is already paid, provided the dwelling remains registered for the duration of the licence.
Staff Accommodation not registered under these two Laws will be subject to a fee. However, this fee is discounted if the dwelling is Rent Safe accredited.
In order to recognise the challenges within the industry, the proposed fee will be set on a maximum occupancy person count similar to Hostels', and not per dwelling.
The Staff Accommodation count should be derived from a collective single addressee (save for a unique room, apartment or block number), is owned by the same individual, company or group and is occupied solely by workers (and their families) within the owner's business or occupied by other workers within the same industry (for example Agriculture / Hospitality).
By way of example, a building containing 10 x 2-person maximum occupancy dwellings (20 persons):
- Not Rent Safe accredited and not falling within the definition of Staff accommodation' - treated as individual dwellings - 10 x (£50 application fee + £200 annual fee) - £2,500
- Registered as Staff Accommodation' under the Lodging Houses (Registration)(Jersey) Law 1962 – No fee
Not registered as in (2) above but meets the definition of Staff Accommodation' in the proposed fee structure – 20-person maximum occupancy = (£50 application fee + [11-20-person rate] £350) - £400
This fee can then be further discounted by joining the free and voluntary Rent Safe scheme. 5* Accreditation would therefore reduce the licence fee to just £100 per annum for the entire building, accommodating a maximum of 20 persons.
I trust the above answers your query and if you require anything further, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely
Deputy John Young Minister for the Environment
D +44 (0)1534 440540 E j.young@gov.je