Channel Islands Property Newsletter
Welcome to our autumn 2024 Channel Islands property newsletter, where we bring you a roundup of the latest property cases in the courts, legal updates and sector developments.
In this edition, we look at two recent property cases in the Jersey and Guernsey courts, which include a dispute over late payment of rent by the tenant of a Guernsey tea rooms.
We also provide an update for Jersey landlords on the licencing of 'rented dwellings,' in light of recently enforced regulations which make it unlawful for landlords to allow an unlicenced rental property to be occupied.
You can access all articles by clicking on the individual summaries below.
Explore our latest issue
Jersey "rented dwellings" – regulations and guidance for landlords
The Public Health and Safety (Rented Dwellings) (Jersey) Law was introduced in Jersey in 2018 to set minimum rented dwelling standards. Since 1 August 2024, the Regulations have made it unlawful for an unlicenced rented dwelling to be occupied.
This update provides guidance for Jersey landlords on this issue, including how register for a Rented Dwellings Licence.
To find out more, read the full update.
Market commentary: 2024 property transaction levels in Jersey
Almost all house sales in Jersey are completed before the Royal Court, alongside around a third of flat sales, some freehold commercial property sales, and all leases with a term of more than nine years.
Here, we review the the sales figures compared to last year.
To find out more, read the full update.
Guernsey Royal Court rules in favour of tea room tenant in rent dispute
In a recent high-profile case, the tenant of a Guernsey tea room successfully defended a legal action brought by the property owners, with the Royal Court dismissing an eviction attempt over a delayed rent payment.
We've summarised the case and put together some key takeaways from this case that landlords should be aware of.
To find out more, read the full update.
Jersey Royal Court clarifies timing for planning appeals - Heath v Minister for the Environment
In this update, we explore the recent judgment in the case of Heath v Minister for the Environment.
This appeal centred upon when time starts to run for the purposes of an appeal under Article 116 (5) of the Planning and Building (Jersey) Law 2002.
In this particular case, the appeal against a dismissal was found by the Master of the Royal Court to have been submitted out of time.
To find out more, read the full update.
Energy Performance Certificates: Fit for purpose?
The UK introduced Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in 2007. The certificate sets out how energy-efficient a property is, and properties being rented out are legally required to hold an EPC rating of at least E.
While EPCs are not currently mandatory in the Channel Islands, a mandatory EPC regime was scheduled for 2026 in Jersey, while in Guernsey, an EPC regime in Guernsey is still yet to be decided.
To find out more, read the full update.
If you want to know more about the issues covered in this newsletter, please get in touch with our Property team:
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About Mourant
Mourant is a law firm-led, professional services business with over 60 years' experience in the financial services sector. We advise on the laws of the British Virgin Islands, the Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Jersey and Luxembourg and provide specialist entity management, governance, regulatory and consulting services.
