Calls for more clarity over parish rates system

Some residents in Grouville have said they are paying higher parish rates than other parishes

A deputy has called on constables to provide more clarity on how parish rates in Jersey are calculated.

Parish rates are paid by anyone who owns or rents a home and go towards the maintenance of roads and the general upkeep of the parish.

A Freedom of Information request in 2023 showed parish rates were calculated slightly differently in each parish and some islanders have said they are being assessed unfairly compared to residents in other places.

Deputy Helen Miles said the system was “opaque” and “very difficult to get to grips with”.

Deputy Helen Miles said the Parish Rates system is opaque

Parish rates are set by each parish assembly and how much someone pays will depend on the “rateable value” of their property.

The rateable value is assessed on the attributes of the property and land.

But a Freedom of Information request sent to the Comité des Connétables in 2023 found the “rateable value of land” was being calculated differently in each parish.

Dr Miles said while some islanders were happy with how parish rates were assessed, there needed to be more “transparency” on how rates were calculated.

She said: “Even if you go online or search for information it’s very difficult to understand how the attributes of each property are calculated by individual parishes.”

Dr Miles added: “I think the Comité des Connétables could do some kind of information campaign to help people understand how their quarters are assessed, why they are assessed in that way and why they are paying what they are paying for each rate.”

Recent appeals

The lack of clarity around how parish rates are assessed has caused frustration in the parish of Grouville, where some residents have argued they are paying higher rates than islanders in other parishes for the same type of property.

There were recently 13 appeals to the Rates Appeal board and the Constable of the parish Mark Labey said he would reassess the rates paid by each homeowner in the parish.

Lauren Marett-Egeland, a Grouville resident, said: "[In] my whole estate, we all compared our properties to other parishes, and our rates were significantly higher than properties in other parishes and we all appealed and we all had our rates reduced, but they are still significantly higher than other parishes.”

She added: “I think all parishes should have the same rate system its absolutely ridiculous.”

Lauren Marett-Egeland said her parish rates were lowered after she appealed them

Her concerns are shared by another resident Mark Houze, who appealed his rates last year and the Rates Review board found his property had been over assessed by 75%.

“There needs to be a recognition that there is a problem with consistency and fairness across the island," he said.

"Once that is achieved, an island wide assessment methodology is the obvious and simplest solution so that every property is assessed in the same way and people are paying a fair and equal amount.”

Constable Mark Labey has said he will reassess the parish rates paid by homeowners in Grouville

There were recently 13 appeals to the Rates Appeal board in Grouville.

The Constable of Grouville, Mark Labey, has acknowledged there is a problem and has promised to reassess the parish rates paid by homeowners.

Mr Labey said he hoped other parishes would follow suit.

“I’m seeing that going forward that other parishes might voluntarily come forward and say Grouville has done it, let's do ours and let's start with a clean slate before the end of the year.”