Legal Thoughts on Guernsey’s Residential Property market, Q1 2026

The States of Guernsey has today released the 2025 Annual Residential Property Stock Report, providing a comprehensive snapshot of Guernsey’s domestic property landscape. The F&F LLP Property Team has reviewed the findings in full and prepared its initial commentary, drawing out the key themes that will matter most to homeowners, prospective buyers, and investors planning ahead for 2026.

The report highlights a total of 27,799 domestic property units at the end of 2025, including 1,607 Open Market properties (5.8%), offering valuable insight into supply, ownership trends, and evolving market dynamics.

During the year, the housing stock saw modest growth, with 127 new units created and 65 removed, resulting in a net increase of 62 units. Houses and bungalows continue to dominate the market, accounting for 74.5% of all units, while apartments make up 24.6%. Notably, three-bedroom properties remain the most common, representing nearly a third (31.5%) of all homes.

Ownership patterns show that 61.2% of properties are owner-occupied, with a further 26.3% privately rented. Affordable housing accounts for a smaller but important segment, including 8.6% social rented and 1.0% intermediate (partially owned) units. The majority of properties (86.8%) are owned by residents living in Guernsey, with only a small proportion held by off-island owners.

Geographically, housing remains heavily concentrated in St Peter Port, which contains 32.7% of all domestic units and has by far the highest density at 1,418 units per square kilometre, more than double that of any other parish.

Market activity also saw a notable shift, with 3.8% of Local Market properties transacted in 2025. While this marks an increase from 2024 (2.8%), it remains below the peak levels recorded in 2021 (4.6%), indicating a market that is active but stabilising.

Overall, the report reflects a stable and steadily growing property market in Guernsey, characterised by modest supply increases, strong levels of owner occupation, and signs of gradually recovering market activity. To view the full report, visit: Guernsey Annual Residential Property Stock Report

For tailored advice or to discuss the findings in more detail, please contact our Guernsey Conveyancing team on 01481 815050 or Alastair Hargreaves, Anna Douglass, or Stuart Nash.

The States of Guernsey has today released the Q4 2025 Residential Property Prices Report, delivering one of the most comprehensive and insightful analyses of the island’s housing market in recent years. This quarter’s publication provides a detailed overview of pricing trends, transaction activity, and evolving market behaviour across both the Local Market and Open Market sectors, offering valuable clarity at a time of heightened interest in Guernsey property.

The F&F LLP Property Team has reviewed the findings in full and prepared its initial commentary, drawing out the key themes that will matter most to homeowners, prospective buyers, and investors planning ahead for 2026.

The headline picture is one of continued resilience. Market activity remains steady, though increasingly price‑sensitive as buyers take a more considered approach. Local Market values have broadly stabilised, with the mix‑adjusted average purchase price rising to £595,820 in Q4 2025, a measured 0.5% increase on the previous quarter.

Transaction levels strengthened to 246 sales during the period, signalling sustained confidence among committed purchasers. At the same time, extended selling periods and a widening gap between asking and achieved prices highlight a shift toward more selective, value‑driven decision‑making.

Supply constraints remain a defining feature of the landscape. New‑build delivery in the Local Market continues to lag behind demand, contributing to upward pressure in both sales and lettings. The rental sector, in particular, continues its upward trajectory, with average rents increasing to £2,162 per calendar month, a 2.4% rise on the previous quarter.

In the Open Market, values have softened slightly from recent peaks but remain significantly higher than five years ago, underscoring the long‑term strength and desirability of this segment.

Overall, the depth and clarity of data in this quarter’s report provide essential context for anyone considering a property transaction or investment strategy in the months ahead. Whether navigating the Local Market, exploring the Open Market, or assessing rental opportunities, informed planning will be key as Guernsey moves further into 2026.

For more details, please see: Guernsey Quarterly Residential Property Prices Bulletin Quarter 4 2025

For tailored advice or to discuss the findings in more detail, please contact our Guernsey Conveyancing team: Alana Marquis, Sarah Gaudion, Knatachaa Cardwell, Richard Croft, or Lucy Beere on 01481 815050 or Alastair Hargreaves, Anna Douglass, or Stuart Nash.

Rachel Reeves, the UK Chancellor, has announced a wide-range of property and tax reforms in today’s Autumn Budget, following months of conjecture as to what may happen.

F&F’s key takeaways are:

• Tax thresholds: Income tax and National Insurance thresholds are being frozen for another three years from 2028, continuing a pause implemented by the previous government, meaning that the thresholds do not rise with inflation.

• Tax-efficient savings: The Budget introduced salary-sacrifice pension contributions, which will be capped at £2,000 per year (from April 2029), meaning above that threshold, pension contributions will no longer avoid National Insurance. At the same time, tax rates on savings interest, dividends and property income will rise by two percentage points.

• Property taxation: Major changes for property owners and investors were confirmed and taking effect from April 2027, including a “high-value council tax surcharge” for properties worth more than £2m (an additional expense of £2,500 a year, rising to £7,500 for properties worth more than £5m), as well as the basic and higher rates of tax on property, dividend and savings income which will go up by two percentage points each (so to 22%, 42% and 47% for the basic and additional rates).

Although outside the scope of this short briefing note, significant changes have also been made to capital gains tax, corporation tax, and the tax treatment of gambling.

To read all the changes, visit Budget 2025 – Gov UK

Important news for property owners.

Some development and building work can be carried out without requiring planning permission, these are known as exemptions.

The Guernsey Planning Service has published details on Exemptions Class 2, which covers development within the curtilage of flats and buildings containing flats.

For full information, visit the official Planning Service pages.

Our Property Team Alastair Hargreaves, Sarah Gaudion, Knatachaa Cardwell, Kirsty Hart, Alana Marquis, Caren Vidamour, Hannah Damant, Anna Douglass, Robin Gist and Lucy Beere are on hand to assist with all property-related enquiries, including planning.

We are thrilled to welcome Sarah Gaudion and Knatachaa Cardwell to the growing property team at Ferbrache & Farrell LLP.

Their expertise, dedication, and passion for property law make them invaluable additions to our firm.

Sarah is a highly esteemed Senior Conveyancer at F&F LLP, playing a pivotal role in our bustling conveyancing department.

With three decades of experience, she is recognised as one of the island’s most knowledgeable and skilled conveyancers. Her expertise spans the full spectrum of conveyancing procedures, from resolving minor boundary disputes to handling complex property divisions and estate schedules. She has successfully overseen the purchase and sale of some of the island’s largest commercial and residential properties, showcasing her versatility and depth of knowledge.

Since joining F&F LLP in March 2025, Sarah has quickly become an invaluable asset, known for her calm and quick-thinking approach to problem-solving, which is essential in time-sensitive transactions. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors, walking her dogs, and cherishing moments with her family. Her commitment to excellence and approachable demeanour continue to inspire both colleagues and clients alike.

Alongside Sarah, we are delighted to welcome Knatachaa (Knat), a Senior Conveyancer with over two decades of experience. Since 2003, Knat has honed her skills in conveyancing, specialising in boundary disputes, property divisions, and estate schedules.

She spent the first thirteen years of her career at a prominent local conveyancing practice, representing vendors and purchasers across a diverse range of residential property transactions. During this period, she developed a particular expertise in bond work, collaborating with high street banks and mortgage lenders on numerous bond and lending transactions.

Since joining F&F LLP in April 2025, Knat has continued to excel, primarily focusing on residential property sales and purchases. She is renowned for her friendly, calm, and methodical approach, ensuring that every transaction is handled with meticulous care and attention. At F&F LLP, Knat is celebrated for her practical and quick-thinking problem-solving skills, which are crucial in time-sensitive transactions. Her ability to ensure smooth and successful outcomes for her clients has solidified her reputation as a trusted professional in the field.

Reflecting on the team’s evolution, Managing Partner Advocate Alastair Hargreaves said: “The growth of the property team at F&F LLP is a testament to our commitment to excellence and innovation in the field. Welcoming Sarah and Knat is not just about expanding our expertise – it’s about enriching our culture and driving forward our shared vision. We are thrilled to have them on board and look forward to the contributions they will undoubtedly make.”