Guernsey charity struggling to house ex-offenders

Mary Herve said this had been the hardest period for finding accommodation for ex-offenders since the charity started in 2013

Finding accommodation for people with a criminal record has become a Guernsey charity's "biggest headache".

Guernsey Caring for Ex-offenders has found the increased competition to secure housing has put people with criminal records further down the list of possible tenants.

Mary Herve, from the Christian charity, said it was now their "hardest job".

She said it made getting employment difficult and left people at a higher risk of re-offending.

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The charity said the issue applied to both recently released prisoners and people who have been out for some time.

It works closely with landlords, but Mrs Herve said there was a preconception about ex-offenders: "Just because somebody has a criminal record doesn't mean they're going to cause problems for landlords. Their record makes it very difficult.

"There are a lot of sofa surfers, which doesn't lend itself to a good quality of mental health. If you don't have an address to call your own you don't have privacy and it's very difficult to get employment and accommodation."

She said: "We need more accommodation and more flats, some of the lodging houses have closed and with more people looking for accommodation, landlords can choose who they want.

"This has been the hardest period for finding accommodation since the charity started [in 2013]. Much more difficult now."

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