Buying in Guernsey

Local Market Properties

The best selection of residential properties is available for sale to locally qualified residents and licence holders. As Guernsey is such a small island and an attractive place to live there are strict controls over the occupation of housing. In Guernsey houses are catergorised into two groups:

Local Market

Approximately 90% of the properties in Guernsey are local market. They can only be occupied by residentially qualified persons or by non-local persons who have been granted an essential Housing License by the States Housing Authority. Some of the jobs advertised locally will have a Housing License available as part of their terms of employment. Other jobs will not, and it is not possible for a non-resident to take up these positions.

Open Market

There are approximately 1,600 open market properties on the island, many of which are considered Guernsey’s finest homes. Anybody resident in an open market property can work within the island without the necessity of a local licence. If you do not qualify as a local or do not have a licence, but do hold an EU passport, you can buy and occupy an Open Market Property.

 

Further information

If you are unsure of your ability to occupy local market property please check The States of Guernsey website via the links below.

Locally Qualified Resident States of Guernsey Website Link >> 

Licence Holder States of Guernsey Website Link >>

If you would like more details of the Guernsey Housing Control Law, contact States Housing Authority, Sir Charles Frossard House, La Charroterie, St Peter Port, Guernsey, GY1 1FH Tel 01481 717000, Fax 01481 713976.