Managing high-density social housing
This content has been automatically generated from the original PDF and some formatting may have been lost, therefore it should not be relied upon to extract citations or propose amendments. Please see the PDF for the official version of the document.
2026.09.08
5.13 Connétable I. Gardiner of St. Helier of the Minister for Housing regarding the needs of pet-
owning tenants when designing and managing high-density social housing (OQ.75/2026).
Will the Minister advise what consideration, if any, is given to the needs of pet-owning tenants when designing and managing high-density social housing and whether, in his assessment, Andium Homes tenants have reasonable options to keep pets safely when they do not have access to private outdoor space?
[11:15]
Deputy M.R. Ferey of St. Saviour (The Minister for Housing):
I thank the Connétable for her question. The primary purpose of social housing is to provide safe, affordable homes for Islanders in housing need. Different developers provide different forms of outdoor space and inevitably not every home will have a private garden. What is important is that an appropriate outdoor amenity is provided and that the limited land available for housing is used effectively having regard to building by-law and planning requirements. Andium Homes and the Housing Trust permit tenants to keep pets in accordance with their tenancy agreements but it remains for tenants to satisfy themselves the property is suitable for the type of pet they wish to keep.
- The Connétable of St. Helier :
I am sure the Minister is aware that this question came following Andium's decision. What considerations were given to tenants who had a pet according to their tenancy agreement and the ban on using balconies was introduced in the middle of their agreement? What solutions were offered for the tenants?
Deputy M.R. Ferey :
To be clear, this does not ban pets from patios, from balconies. What it does is it asks tenants who have built structures on their balconies to remove them, primarily because in most cases they are a fire risk. Tenants can keep pets as long as they do not cause a nuisance to other tenants. They can keep those pets on their balconies but enclosing that balcony to prevent the pet from absconding is not permissible. Those tenants have been contacted and they have been asked to remove those structures. Fortunately, it is only a very small number of tenants, but Andium will work with those people to come to a satisfactory outcome.
- Deputy M. Tadier of St. Brelade :
Has the Minister assured himself, and has he seen the correspondence that has been sent out, to make sure that the correspondence is not what one might call high-handed and that it treats tenants with due courtesy? Has he also given the matter consideration in regard to the right to tenants' enjoyment of their own homes and their properties as to what they can do reasonably and not be treated like children?
Deputy M.R. Ferey :
I thank the Deputy for the question. I think I come at this from firstly the viewpoint that pets are good for tenants' health and wellbeing. We appreciate that people have a right to keep pets and there is no interference with that right. In fact, Andium policy allows their tenants to keep pets. As regards the correspondence, I guess when someone is receiving news that they do not particularly want to hear, it is always difficult to frame it in appropriate language, but I do not think the correspondence was particularly high-handed. I think it was factual and I think it communicated the message strongly. Because primarily at the back of this we do have a fire risk and if we do not take appropriate action and a tragedy occurs, then obviously that would be the much worse outcome than we are currently experiencing.
- Deputy M. Tadier :
I take the Minister's point. He did not clarify whether he had read the correspondence. I am not sure if he wants to do that but could he make sure in future that it applies to all of Andium correspondence, that the phrasing that is used in letters can either be alarmist or it can be helpful? I have often had complaints, naturally because I think people tend to contact you when they want to complain, that they sometimes receive wording that could be more humane.
Deputy M.R. Ferey :
Yes, I have seen the correspondence, and we could always do better. If there are complaints about the way that was communicated, of course we can review that. I thought the communication was appropriate and factual, as I have already stated.
- The Connétable of St. Helier :
Will the Minister confirm that the tenants affected by this requirement have been dealt with on an individual basis where removing an enclosure could make it unsafe for an existing pet to use the balcony and a solution will be found jointly between Andium and the tenant?
Deputy M.R. Ferey :
I thank the Connétable for that question. Yes, indeed, Andium will work with tenants to find appropriate solutions. Where there are genuine concerns about the safety of a pet, they will do all they can, always having regard for the fact that, where structures are inappropriate and are causing a fire risk, they will need to be removed. So, yes, within the bounds of that we will work with tenants as best we can.