Houses back on the market

POTENTIAL buyers have chosen not to invest in former States houses partly because of the cost of refurbishing them.

Some 16 properties at Jardin de Haut, St Peter Port, were put on the market in November.

Initial offers were received for all of them, but some have now become available again.

A Housing Department spokesman said a survey of the properties had revealed to some possible buyers that they were taking on more than they had first thought.

'The results of the property surveys highlighted that the cost of refurbishment works were higher than envisaged by the purchasers,' they said.

'For economic reasons, therefore, a very small number of purchasers chose not to proceed.'

The spokesman said the cost of refurbishment would vary by property but that all of them require general upgrading and modernising.