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A backbencher and champion for landlords’ rights is pushing back on a proposal to stop islanders living in rented accommodation facing blanket bans on pets.
Deputy Catherine Curtis has put forward a proposition proposition requesting that Housing Minister Sam Mézec brings forward any necessary changes before 31 March 2025 to ensure that tenants can keep pets unless the landlord provides a "reasonable reason for not permitting this".
But Deputy David Warr, who has previously criticised the strictness of landlord licensing schemes, has taken a scalpel to Deputy Curtis's proposal and put forward an amendment that would instead see the Minister requested to "guidance" provided to landlords rather than making actual legislative changes around allowing pets in rental properties.
In a one-page report explaining his plan, he said laws around pets in rental properties would be an "excessive and costly" way to solve the issue and would introduce "unnecessary stress" on the relationship between tenants and landlords.
Pictured: Deputy David Warr.
He argued the original proposition failed to provide "sufficient statistical information" to demonstrate the need for legislation, whereas guidance would allow the policy on pets to "evolve for the benefit of both tenants and landlords".
Deputy Warr continued: "Furthermore, enshrining the right to own a pet as the legal default position forces any landlord to demonstrate that any objection is 'reasonable', instead of the tenant having to demonstrate that they are able to look after and provide any such pet with a high quality of life.
"Introducing legislation also risks introducing unnecessary stress on the relationship between tenants and landlords. This could arise with the right to acquire pets changing the previously agreed terms and conditioners of an existing lease or tenancy agreement. A change to this could be imposed on a landlord with limited options to object."
He concluded: "With the correct guidance and policy framework, a code of practice could evolve that would be more beneficial to both tenants and landlords and provide less risk for straining of their relationship and contractual agreements."
Last month, MPs debated the Renters' Rights Bill for the first time in Parliament – a long-awaited piece of legislation which has been described as a "once-in-a-generation overhaul of housing laws".
Labour announced earlier this year that it would revive the package of rental reforms abandoned by the Tories.
One key element of the proposals would give tenants the legal right to request a pet in their home, which landlords cannot unreasonably refuse.
Deputy Curtis said that while her work was separate to that being done in the UK, she argued that "huge distress" is caused to pet owners and animals if pets have to be given up and renters often have to move "through no fault of their own".
She said there have been cases of rental properties in Jersey where a "blanket ban" had been imposed on keeping pets for "no apparent good reason".
Deputy Curtis's proposed changes would affect around half of Islanders, with the latest census showing that 33% of households are private rentals and roughly 13% are social housing rentals.
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