This newsletter is about our GPRLA website, various States of Guernsey laws affecting Guernsey landlords and our forthcoming open meeting on 1st October.

Guernsey Private Residential Landlords Association to All States Deputies Dear Deputy                                        Proposition No P.2020/30                         Proposed Introduction of a General Housing Law                                                      AMENDMENT   The GPRLA write to you today on behalf of our 254 members representing 1477 units of accommodation in the Island. We request that you do not support the Amendment to the above law for the following reasons.

Landlords should treat themselves as a “controlled” environment/activity, where the social distancing requirements are less restrictive, e.g. social distancing is only 1 metre.  Use common sense about social distancing, sanitary behaviour etc.   Landlords need to email the name and contact details for their designated record-keeper (i.e. probably themselves) to controlledbusinessnotification@gov.gg before making their first inspection/visit to their let property, or if work needs to be done there.   As part of that they are required to keep a contact tracing diary which can be downloaded from the covid-19 website. That will keep a record of who the landlord or their contractor saw/which property they visited and when, plus the tenant’s name and phone number.We’d suggest that tenants who are required to give anyone access to the home they are renting, be it landlord or his contractor/s for any work that need to be done there, should also keep a contact tracing diary.   This then allows easy contact tracing should it become necessary.   Such visits are not allowed if either the person visiting or the tenant have had covid-19 symptoms within the last 48 hours, or if anyone in the household is in isolation, or shielding following advice from a medical professional. The Covid-19 team say“The Guidance can be read here https://covid19.gov.gg/guidance/business/lockdownupdate    The full information is in the PDF at the bottom of the page https://covid19.gov.gg/sites/default/files/2020-05/Guidance%20for%20Businesses%20and%20Organisations%20during%20Phase%204%20%20-%20Version%202%20-%2029%20May%202020%20.pdf  You may want to specifically reference the information for work taking place within households in Section C.” We hope that helps, and remember that the covid-19 website

GPRLA normally have our AGM during June. However because of the current situation with covid 19 and the restrictions in place on gatherings , we have had  to postpone the AGM.

Latest advice from States of Guernsey on letting 27th April 2020, from gov.gg – the accommodation advice guidance is particularly helpful.   On https://covid19.gov.gg/ live updates   10:00am – 27 April Support available for lodgers and tenants with urgent housing difficulties Lodgers or tenants facing urgent housing difficulties during the COVID-19 outbreak can receive support and advice via a new helpline that has launched today. Read the media release.

Private rentalsFirst, thank you for your time on Wednesday of this week. This is a challenging time for all of us in our community, and my officers and I very much appreciated your time and your open and constructive approach. You and your members have an important role in our economy and in our community. Having spoken with many of the Association’s members over the past 48 hours, I know that they – like you – recognise that role.