Jersey landlords have avoided new rules that would have made imposing blanket bans on keeping pets illegal.

Instead, the Island’s lawmakers voted to introduce guidance for landlords and tenants on keeping pets in rental properties, reports the Jersey Evening Post.

Deputy Catherine Curtis had proposed amending the law to ensure that tenants could keep pets unless the landlord provided a reasonable reason as she believes giving up a pet can be “hugely distressing”.

“Unfortunately, guidance will not be sufficient. Like every other group of people, landlords include good and bad.

According to a census, half of Jersey’s households live in rented properties. “Therefore, this proposition could improve the lives of a lot of islanders, benefiting the animals too,” Curtis said.

She told colleagues: “Unfortunately, guidance will not be sufficient. Like every other group of people, landlords include good and bad.

“All this proposition does is to remove blanket bans. Landlords will still be able to choose their preferred tenant, will still be able to refuse pets for a valid reason, and will be able to claim funds from the tenant to put right any damage.”

Housing Minister Sam Mézec (pictured) agreed: “Guidance that is non-binding will provide neither tenants nor landlords with tangible rights or responsibilities and provide no framework for resolving disputes.”

However, Deputy David Warr – a landlord – argued that guidance was a “less onerous approach”. He said: “We’re drowning in red tape; we need to stop this obsession with creating new laws when other alternatives are available.

“Private landlords are already walking away due to the increasing burden of red tape being placed upon them. This leaves greater demand for properties that remain, will potentially push up rents, and homelessness is a very real consequence.”