Jersey social housing provider agrees to delay rent hikes by a month

Jersey Homes Trust (JHT) has agreed to delay its rent hikes by a month.

This means the increases will now come into effect on 1 May.

It comes just a few days after the vast majority of homes owned by the social housing provider received letters saying their rents would be rising by 5-9% within three weeks.

This drew criticism from some who said it was too short notice, prompting the housing minister, Deputy David Warr, to ask if the trust could delay it by a month.

It has now agreed, with JHT Chairman, Philip le Cornu saying it is "in the process of communicating this change to their tenants directly.”

The JHT froze rents in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic.

Rent rises, it says, are now being introduced partly due to those previous rent freezes, as well as the pressures of inflation.

The trust says the extra money is needed to cover costs and build more affordable homes.

It also claims it will not be making a profit and that the rises are below the 12% inflation rate.

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