Housing seeking to bring majority of Open Market Law changes into effect
The Committee for Housing is bringing a commencement ordinance to the States this week which, if approved, will bring into effect the majority of the revisions to the Open Market Housing Register Law, which were approved in the previous political term.
These changes will provide clarity and greater transparency for when a property can be inscribed onto the Open Market Housing Register. New fees will also ensure that the public purse benefits from the inscription of Open Market properties, while the changes will also have the potential to increase the financial viability of Local Market developments and bring other community benefits.
If approved by the States, from Monday 27th October, people will be able to apply to:
- Transfer an Open Market Part A inscription from an existing Open Market Part A property to either a smaller Local Market property for the purpose of downsizing or to properties on a Local Market development site.
- Regularise an anomaly property (e.g. where an Open Market property includes a Local Market room or rooms)
- Inscribe a Local Market property onto Part A of the Open Market in exceptional circumstances, such as for wider strategic benefits
- Delete an inscription from an Open Market dwelling
An updated Open Market Part A Inscriptions Policy will be able to be implemented once the commencement ordinance is approved by the States.
The only aspect of the amended law and policy that would not come into effect at this time is for completely new inscriptions, apart from those for exceptional circumstance properties. Because the number of completely new Part A inscriptions will generally be limited to a low number per calendar year, a transparent application and decision-making process is needed. Therefore, the Committee for Housing is considering what the fairest and most transparent solution will be, while respecting the engagement and feedback from industry and relevant stakeholders. The remaining parts of the amended Law and policy will be brought into effect when the necessary systems are in place.
Neither the policy, the amended law or the commencement ordinance removes or reduces any pre-existing rights which an Open Market resident has acquired under existing Population Management or Housing Control laws.
Deputy Steve Williams, President of the Committee for Housing, said:
"Our Open Market has been, and we hope will continue to be, an important economic enabler for our island. However, the States has long recognised a need for an Open Market inscriptions policy to clarify how properties can be added to, or removed from, Part A of the Open Market Housing Register and so that applications can be consistently considered in a fair and transparent way.
"To now be at the point of almost being ready to put this into effect is an important and long-awaited milestone, bringing us closer to providing clarity so that we can sensitively and carefully improve the availability of Open Market properties and ensure these homes are of good quality.
"We're grateful for the consultation with industry and relevant States Committees which has taken us to this point."
