Scheme to find Jersey's empty homes scrapped

Deputy Sam Mézec has scrapped the Empty Homes Service

A scheme to identify homes that aren't being used on the island has been scrapped by Jersey's new housing minister.

The Empty Homes Service was launched by previous minister David Warr in 2023 to help "tackle Jersey's housing crisis".

Deputy Sam Mézec told a scrutiny panel that while many properties had been identified, there was no way of forcing people to use them to house someone.

People identified more than 250 vacant or unused properties across the island.

Mr Mézec said "frankly very little" could be done to change the situation.

He said: "It will take some time before we possibly could put forward a framework that enabled the government to have the powers it needs to see a home that's empty for no good reason and say we are getting that back into action."