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A backbencher is vying for changes to Jersey’s rental laws which would prevent landlords from imposing blanket bans on pets – with statistics showing that dozens of pets are being given up every year due to accommodation restrictions.
Deputy Catherine Curtis has requested that the Housing Minister – her fellow Reform Jersey member Deputy Sam Mezec – 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".
The 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.
UK MPs debated the Renters' Rights Bill for the first time in Parliament this week – 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 referred to this ongoing work in the UK.
"My work on this proposition started completely separately to that, having heard from many islanders who'd had to give up their pets, but the UK Bill does provide useful information," she explained.
"The basic premise of that part of the proposed legislation is that the 'Landlord consent is therefore the default position unless otherwise specified in writing by a landlord'."
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".
Pictured: Deputy Curtis is also the chair of the Children, Education and Home Affairs Scrutiny Panel.
Deputy Curtis went on to admit that there can be "good reasons" to not permit pets in certain property, for instance, proximity to neighbours or lack of outside space.
She added: "Unfortunately, though, there have been cases of rental properties in Jersey where a blanket ban has been imposed on keeping pets for no apparent good reason. The purpose of this proposition is to enable all renters to be able to keep a pet unless there is good reason to not do so."
She quoted statistics from the Cat Action Trust Jersey Branch that an estimated one cat per month is given up to the cat sanctuary due to accommodation restrictions.
JSPCA data also showed 17 pets per year were disclaimed to the JSPCA due to the landlord specifically not allowing pets, and another 42 per year where the reason given for disclaiming was "moving".
She also included national research which claims that allowing pets in rental properties is "not just good for the tenants" but there are "advantages to landlords too as it could increase the length of time tenants choose to rent a property".
In May 2023, then Housing Minister David Warr asked islanders in a consultation to share their views on whether Jersey's rental laws should have a provision to prevent landlords from imposing blanket bans on pets, as he worked to update the island's rental laws.
He said his law drafting instructions for the new Residential Tenancy Law did not address the issue of pets, as to date, "it has not been an issue of concern raised by those who have responded to the consultation on my proposals".
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