Housing market out of control

I am writing this email as a plea for some sort of action to be taken on our current housing crisis on Guernsey.

I work in the finance sector part time, due to having a small daughter. My partner is a carpenter. We as a household earn a reasonable wage. However, due to the dramatic increase in house prices and rentals we are now faced with a situation that we can only just about afford to rent a two-bedroom property.

For a two-bedroom rental with parking and a garden you are now looking at anything from £1,800-£2,800. The lower- end prices tend to be very dated, damp and with mould present.

Are you aware that a two-bedroom property has risen from about £1,400 per calendar month to now anywhere from £1,800-£2,800 per calendar month in the past two years?

A three/four-bedroom can go even further to £3,300 plus. There is absolutely no consistency with the prices. This also doesn’t cover the fact that these properties come with high deposits going from double to triple the rental price, if not more in some cases. One property asked for a £10k deposit alone, as well as the extra £3,333 on top for one month’s rent.

How are these prices affordable to local hard-working families?

How do these rental prices match the income of most working families?

How do these prices help the younger generation get onto the rental market?

I know of so many families that are now deciding to leave their beautiful home of Guernsey and venture elsewhere. This is heartbreaking, not only to lose the younger generation, but also the trades the parents take with them.

We viewed a property recently which was already extremely high rent. But as the property was of a higher standard, no damp or aged build, we were willing to pay more. We got told yesterday that another offer had been made over the price they were asking.

How is this fair?

How can landlords be so greedy to accept even more money than the extreme prices they are already charging?

Why can’t there be caps in place on how much rent can be charged?

Why aren’t properties being checked that standards are met before putting them on the rental market, no mould/damp present?

Hard-working families are constantly being discriminated against on this island and it’s time action was taken.

There must be something that can be done to address this current crisis we are facing with the housing. Why should leaving the island be the only choice for most? It’s heartbreaking.

My email email is based on the rental market, because due to the insane prices to purchase a house on Guernsey (approx. half a million for a two-bed) and the financial hit we have had through Covid, we are not in a position to buy. That would require us to have about £80k saved in the bank. This is impossible with the rentals being so high and the cost of living.

Do you see the vicious circle most hard-working families are facing? How impossible it’s becoming to get either on the rental or buyers’ market?

I do not expect to receive a response to my email. I would, however, appreciate it if at least a discussion would take place to address this matter. Surely you can see yourselves that this matter is urgent and needs to be addressed?

DANIELLE HIRST