Landlords in Jersey will be allowed to evict some tenants with just a week’s notice as part of the island’s biggest changes to residential tenancy law in more than a decade.

The Residential Tenancy (Jersey) Amendment Law 2025 – which takes effect on 15th April - strengthens protections for tenants and landlords, and creates clearer processes around notice, tenancy types, and rent increases. A new rent tribunal is also being set up to allow tenants to independently challenge rent increases within a tenancy.

Tenancies can be let on either a periodic basis, such as week‑to‑week or month‑to‑month, or an initial fixed term of up to three years, which then becomes a periodic tenancy.

For periodic tenancies, tenants can end the tenancy at any time with at least one months’ notice, while landlords can do this for specific reasons, with the notice period depending on the reason and sometimes the length of tenancy, ranging from seven days (such as if a tenant has caused or permitted the property to be used for illegal purposes, or if a tenant’s work permit or visa has ended) to six months (such as if a landlord wants to sell up). Landlords can also end the tenancy by giving one year’s notice without a reason.

Initial

For an initial fixed term tenancy, tenants must give at least one months’ notice before the fixed term ends, while landlords must give at least three months’ notice before the fixed term ends. Landlords may give shorter notice during an initial term if the law allows it, under the same limited grounds that can trigger shorter notice during a periodic tenancy.

An initial term can be ended early only if the early termination requirements (break clause) are followed, with at least one month from tenants and three months from landlords.

Group

Guy Morris, chair of the Jersey Landlord Association, says the group is doing its best to make sure members are ready, despite a tight turnaround which will see the reforms introduced before Island elections in June, but acknowledges that some non-members may be unaware of the changes in time. "We're advising landlords to have a good, hard think and consult a lawyer before giving tenants notice to make sure they're on the right side of the new law," he tells LandlordZONE.

Morris believes the reforms will give landlords the opportunity to get their houses in order but reports that some have decided to call it quits. "Some landlords are scared of these changes and although some supporters of the new law argue that this simply means there will be more houses available for owner occupiers to buy, there are many former rental properties still waiting to sell, as the housing market is still pretty stagnant in Jersey."

Guidance

The government has published guidance along with a fully updated Model Residential Tenancy Agreement.

Landlords must give tenants a signed copy of the tenancy agreement, provide a deposit receipt, ensure the property is adequately insured, and complete a condition report within seven days of the tenant agreeing to live in the property.

All new tenancy agreements must include details such as a description of the property, rent amount and frequency of payment, and any deposit or guarantee, including how and when it will be repaid.

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