Sale of social housing in Jersey to end

Social housing tenants will no longer be able to purchase their home

The sale of Jersey social housing to tenants is likely to stop in the next few years.

A decision made three years ago meant that the housing department gave States tenants the chance to buy their homes.

But the current housing minister said he wants that to stop after those people, who have already said they want to buy, have done so.

Deputy Sean Power wants to make sure there are still ways for low-income people to afford their own homes.

He said: "We will probably replace that model with a newer model which will be home buyer mark two.

"They might be able to invest in a Jersey property on different lines whereby they might be able to buy 50% of the property rather than 70% of the property and we might extend that to flats."

Deputy Power said that there are still some families who will be able to buy, but he wants to put an end to the policy.

He said: "With the recession and with the difficulties in getting mortgages and mortgage finance we have about 40 or 50 families who have expressed a wish to buy the house they are renting.

"That would produce some further funds for us but we can't turn around to those people and say you have to have your mortgage by the first of December or the first of January, it is an ongoing process.

"We are committed to do some more sales and then eventually phase it out."