Tenant Law · Guernsey
Find a lawyer tenant law in Guernsey tenants can turn to
Guernsey is a Crown Dependency with its own courts and its own law, so landlord and tenant disputes are not resolved the English way. Tell us what has happened and we match you, free of charge, with an Advocate of the Royal Court who handles tenancy work.
- Advocates with full rights of audience in the Guernsey courts
- Free, no-obligation matching — no legal fees for the introduction
- First response usually within 24 to 48 hours
We are a matching service, not a law firm. We do not give legal advice.
Get matched with a lawyer
Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
How matching works
Tenancy problems in Guernsey, and the Advocate who handles them
Tenancy problems rarely arrive when you expect them. A notice to quit appears, the rent is reviewed, repairs are refused, or arrears are disputed, and you are left working out which court, which rule and which timescale apply. Guernsey is a Crown Dependency with its own legislature and its own courts, so the answers are not simply the English ones. Finding a lawyer tenant law in Guernsey practice understands is the first practical step. We are a free matching service: you describe your situation, and we connect you with an Advocate of the Royal Court who works on landlord and tenant matters. No fee for the match, no obligation, no jargon.
Guernsey in practice
How tenancy law works in Guernsey
Guernsey is not part of the United Kingdom. It has its own legislature, its own courts and its own body of law, and its private law is a mixed system built on Norman customary law with English common law grafted on. For tenants and landlords, that means the framework, the vocabulary and the timescales all have a distinctively Guernsey shape.
A legal system of its own
Guernsey is a Crown Dependency forming part of the Bailiwick of Guernsey, which also comprises Alderney and Sark. The States of Deliberation legislates for the Bailiwick, but Alderney and Sark keep their own first-instance courts. English case law is persuasive in Guernsey, not binding, so an argument that works in England may not settle a Guernsey dispute.
Which court hears your case
The Magistrate’s Court exercises civil jurisdiction over debt and damages claims in contract and tort up to GBP 10,000, which covers many rent and damage claims. The Royal Court, sitting as the Ordinary Court, handles the general civil jurisdiction, including property. In civil cases the Jurats, elected lay members of the Court, are the judges of fact.
Notice to quit and rent arrears
For residential and commercial leases, the notice period must equate to the rental period, whether weekly or monthly. Where a tenant is in arrears of rent, immediate notice to quit may be given. Requests for a stay of eviction are decided by the Jurats on the facts, which is one reason the papers and the chronology matter so much.
Controlled tenancies and the Rent Officer
Where a tenancy is controlled, a landlord may not begin eviction proceedings within 12 months of the Rent Officer’s decision. The tenant has one month to apply to the Rent Officer, and three months in which the Rent Officer’s decision may be appealed to the Royal Court. These are short windows, so dates should be checked early.
Prescription: a clock that extinguishes rights
Guernsey has no direct equivalent of the English law of limitation. Guernsey law applies prescription, which does not merely bar the remedy but extinguishes the right of action, and it is a matter of substantive law rather than procedure. In practice, that makes the start date of a claim, and any interruption of the period, central to the advice you receive.
Costs, court fees and legal aid
Royal Court fees include GBP 313 for eviction proceedings and GBP 313 for a hearing of up to one hour, then GBP 626 per hour or part thereof. Recoverable legal costs are capped, so a successful party typically recovers around 60% to 70% of what it spent. The Guernsey Legal Aid Service may assist individuals who satisfy a means test and a merits test, and a Green Form can cover an initial two hours of advice.
Key time limits — Property & Real Estate Law
| Matter | Time limit in Guernsey | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Residential and commercial leases (eviction and notice to quit) | Notice equating to the rental period; immediate notice where rent is in arrears | A weekly tenancy needs a week’s notice, a monthly tenancy a month’s, unless arrears allow immediate notice. |
| Rent control (controlled tenancies): eviction protection and reviews | 12 months from the Rent Officer’s decision; 1 month to apply; 3 months to appeal | The tenant applies to the Rent Officer within one month, and the decision may be appealed to the Royal Court. |
All country-specific statements on this page are drawn from official Guernsey sources — the Royal Court of Guernsey, the States of Guernsey and The Guernsey Bar — together with published Guernsey practitioner guidance, reviewed in 2026.
- Appleby — Legal and Court System in Guernsey
- The Guernsey Bar
- Royal Court of Guernsey — Advocates of the Royal Court
- Royal Court of Guernsey — Evictions
- States of Guernsey — Rent control and controlled tenancies
- Royal Court of Guernsey — Court fees and legal aid
- Collas Crill — Prescription in Guernsey
- Bedell Cristin — Guernsey prescription and time limits
- Royal Court of Guernsey — Matrimonial Causes
- Royal Court of Guernsey — Appeals to the Court of Appeal
- Ferbrache & Farrell — Prescription and limitation
- Chambers Practice Guides — Defamation and reputation management in Guernsey
Common situations
What tenants in Guernsey bring to an Advocate
Most tenancy enquiries we receive fall into a small number of recognisable patterns. If yours looks like one of these, an Advocate who works in this area can tell you where you stand.
A notice to quit has arrived
The notice period must equate to your rental period, unless you are in arrears, where immediate notice may be given. Whether the notice is effective depends on the tenancy, the dates and the paperwork.
The rent has been reviewed
Controlled tenancies run through the Rent Officer, with tight windows: one month to apply to the Rent Officer and three months to appeal a decision to the Royal Court. Dates decide outcomes here.
Deposits, damage and disrepair
Money disputes about deposits, damage or repairs often sit within the Magistrate’s Court’s civil jurisdiction over debt and damages claims up to GBP 10,000, or in the Royal Court above that.
Why use the service
Matched with the right Advocate, without the guesswork
In Guernsey, advocacy is a fused profession: an Advocate acts both as your instructing lawyer and as your court advocate. Getting the right one early matters.
Specialists, not generalists
We direct your enquiry to Advocates of the Royal Court whose practices cover landlord and tenant work, so you are not explaining Guernsey tenancy law to someone who never handles it.
Free and non-binding
Using the service costs you nothing and commits you to nothing. You describe the problem, we make the introduction, and you decide whether to instruct.
One description, one introduction
You explain the situation once. We take the facts you give us, identify the practice area and match you with an Advocate who deals with that type of dispute.
Clear on costs before you commit
Advocates bill by hourly rates, and recoverable rates are capped by Guernsey’s Costs and Fees Rules. Your Advocate can explain how this applies to your case before you go further.
Nearby and comparable
European jurisdictions we also cover
Guernsey’s law is its own, but tenancy questions frequently cross borders, particularly where a landlord, tenant or property sits elsewhere in Europe. We also match clients in these jurisdictions.
Questions
Tenancy law in Guernsey: frequently asked questions
Do I need a lawyer tenant law in Guernsey practice specialises in?
Tenancy disputes in Guernsey run under Guernsey law, in Guernsey courts, and English case law is only persuasive there. A lawyer tenant law in Guernsey who handles landlord and tenant matters regularly will know the notice rules, the Rent Officer procedure and the prescription periods that shape your options. Our matching service introduces you to an Advocate of the Royal Court at no cost.
Which Guernsey court deals with eviction and rent cases?
It depends on the claim. The Magistrate’s Court handles civil claims in contract and tort up to GBP 10,000, which covers many rent and damages disputes. Property matters and larger claims go to the Royal Court’s Ordinary Court, where the Jurats decide the facts and the judge decides law, procedure and costs.
How much notice must a Guernsey landlord give before eviction?
For residential and commercial leases, the notice period must equate to the rental period, so a weekly tenancy needs a week’s notice and a monthly tenancy a month’s. Where the tenant is in arrears of rent, immediate notice to quit may be given. A request for a stay of eviction is decided by the Jurats on the facts.
What is prescription, and how is it different from limitation?
Guernsey applies prescription rather than the English law of limitation. Prescription does not simply bar the remedy: it extinguishes the right of action, and it is treated as substantive law rather than procedure. Contract and tort claims generally carry six years, while personal injury claims carry three years, which is why early advice is worth taking.
How much does an Advocate in Guernsey cost?
Advocates bill by hourly rates, and Guernsey’s Costs and Fees Rules fix the recoverable rates, at GBP 351 per hour for Advocates and GBP 235.17 for associates with effect from 1 January 2026. Because these are lower than rates actually charged, a successful party typically recovers roughly 60% to 70% of its legal spend. Costs normally follow the event.
Can legal aid help with a tenancy problem in Guernsey?
Possibly. The Guernsey Legal Aid Service assists private individuals who satisfy a financial means test and a legal merits test, and it is not available to companies or groups. A Green Form can provide an initial two hours of advice, or a contribution towards it. Your Advocate can assess whether your matter is likely to qualify.
Next step
Tell us about your tenancy problem in Guernsey
Describe what has happened in a few lines: the type of tenancy, the notice or demand you have received, and the dates that matter. We will match you, free of charge, with an Advocate of the Royal Court who handles landlord and tenant work in Guernsey.