People moving out of States properties are party to blame for a shortage of rented accommodation, say estate agents.
TENANTS outweigh the number of properties available to rent, according to many estate agents.
They say the time of year and people moving out of States houses are partly to blame for the shortage. One woman who is currently looking to rent said her main problem was the price of homes with a garden.
‘It’s almost impossible with animals and I can’t afford to get a mortgage. I don’t know what I am going to do.’ The woman, who asked not to be named, is living in a cottage she must sell because she can no longer afford it. It also has no garden for her pets.
She cannot afford to buy a more suitable property and has found that many rental options that meet her needs are also out of her price range.
If she cannot find a new home soon, she will consider leaving Guernsey.
‘It’s just dreadful the way the island is going. It’s a catch-22 situation. Something should be done because many people can’t afford to live here any more.’
Sally Robins – director of Morvan Robins, which specialises in rentals – said the problems were seasonal. Generally around this time of year property is a bit thin on the ground and there are more tenants looking than property available.
‘During the summer, we get a surge of property and fewer tenants. It’s swings and roundabouts. It’s like this at this time every year. But there are also more tenants because people are coming out of States housing.’
Alpha Estates director David Ingrouille agreed. His company is getting about 40 applications for rental property per week. He said that many people coming out of States property were unlikely to secure a 25- or 30-year mortgage.
‘At the present time we have let every single property that has come onto our books and we have nothing available. It is fair to say that there is a genuine shortage of all rented accommodation.’
Mr Ingrouille also believed that the buy-to-let market has slowed.
Lovells managing director Chris Lovell said there was strong demand at the cheaper end of the local market but a lack of properties.
‘We need to be providing more dwellings, whether it’s for a first-time buyer or someone renting their first flat or house. We should encourage people to invest and develop property for rental so that we can help those people who want to get on the property ladder or rent their first property. We have to give them some opportunity.’
However, Martel Maides director Nick Renney believed the situation was actually quite balanced.
‘In terms of numbers of properties available, we have lots of people who need to rent somewhere and they tend to do it quickly as they are only taking it for a year or two so it doesn’t have to be perfect. We can have as little as six on our books or as many as 25 at one time. It honestly changes from week to week. A few years ago, when Charroterie Mills was built, many bought those as buy-to-lets so for a period we had an influx of properties.’
The Housing Department was not in a position to comment before we went to press.
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