was paying £600 a month to heat their home.
“the tenant ”
fit for habitation? I
by DEPUTY STEVE LUCE, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
f you’ve ever looked for rental accommodation in Jersey, you
may recall a feeling of mild outrage at the draughty broom cupboards offered up for a monthly king’s ransom.
Things have improved over recent years, but there are still properties available for rent or provided as part of a job, that have little or no insulation, no heating, or even cooking facilities.
Environmental Health officers have even come across cases where a houseful of tenants had no access to a loo. When nature called, they had to leave the house and take their chances with the public lavatory down the road.
Other cases they saw included a shower unit installed in the middle of a bedroom, a cooker underneath the stairs, and insulation so poor, the tenant was paying £600 a month to heat their home.
But things are about to change. Anyone renting accommodation
by DEPUTY STEVE LUCE,MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT
to someone for money or as part of their job, will have to meet minimum standards as part of the Public Health and Safety (rented dwellings) (Jersey) law recently agreed by the States Assembly. The new law won’t require the transformation of a mean hovel into Trump Tower. It’s about meeting a basic minimum, based on what’s known as the Decent Homes Standard which means accommodation must:
• meet certain minimum safety standards for housing
• be in a reasonable state of repair
• have reasonably modern facilities and services
• have efficient heating and effective insulation
The catalyst for change is the impact poor accommodation can have on people’s health, which is why it comes under the radar of Environmental Health in the Department of the Environment. This is a team that likes getting its hands dirty, tackling food poisoning investigations, food hygiene standards, noise and nuisance complaints, and
housing standards – anything in our environment which can have an impact on our health. Assistant Director Caroline Maffia says there’s substantial evidence of the impact of poor accommodation on people’s wellbeing. “Cold or damp homes can increase the chance of a respiratory problem getting worse. Adults may take more time off work – to deal with their own ill health or that of their children. People may not sleep well if their home is too hot or too cold, or if they’re worried about the cost of heating their home adequately or GP bills.”
The new Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Jersey) law will apply across all
accommodation, with very few exceptions, so that means
• all private sector homes available for rent
• all social housing • all staff accommodation
The exceptions are if someone is living in the family home, for example, as a lodger, or an au pair.
20/20 - The Home Page 29
Is your rental home
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