Housing Justice supports At Home Guernsey to set up Lodgings Project
March 24, 2026
Background
In September 2025, Stacey, our Performance Manager, and Ella, our Migrant Homelessness Projects Coordinator, travelled to Guernsey to meet with At Home in Guernsey, who had approached Housing Justice for support and invited us to visit. They were exploring how to develop and implement a Lodgings scheme and were keen to draw on our experience of delivering community-led accommodation solutions that are safe, sustainable, and rooted in dignity.
Housing Justice has long developed and delivered community-led accommodation solutions for vulnerable migrants. Our Refugee Lodgings Project offers newly granted refugees a stable home for six months after moving on from NASS accommodation. Londoners with a spare room train as resident landlords and welcome a lodger into their home. This period of stability gives refugees the opportunity to rebuild their lives, gain skills, find work, and begin navigating the private rented sector, while resident landlords receive rental income and retain flexibility through a supported, time-limited arrangement – it’s a win-win housing solution.
Ahead of the trip, Stacey developed a “Lodgings in a Pack” resource with input from colleagues across the organisation. The pack provides a comprehensive guide to the Lodgings model, setting out the governance, processes and safeguards required to deliver the project safely and effectively. It also includes key supporting documentation, such as referral forms and template agreements.
The Trip to Guernsey
Stacey and Ella’s journey began in rather turbulent circumstances – flying into Guernsey in what can only be described as a rickety plane during an amber weather warning for wind!
Upon a safe landing, the team were met at the airport by At Home in Guernsey’s CEO, Charlie Cox, whose warmth and clear, passionate vision set an energising tone for the visit. Stacey and Ella then travelled to their offices, catching their first glimpse of the island’s unique character and spectacular views across the Channel.
Stacey and Ella quickly learned the realities of the local context, namely that homelessness in Guernsey is a growing, largely ‘hidden’ crisis, with an estimated 1,000 people (roughly 1 in 64 residents) experiencing insecure housing. While visible rough sleeping is rare, many individuals are sofa-surfing, living in cars, vans, or unsuitable temporary accommodation due to a severe housing shortage and high rental costs.
There is also an absence of homelessness legislation in Guernsey, which means there is no authority duty to safeguard those without a home.
In their meetings with At Home Guernsey, Stacey and Ella discussed practical and ethical considerations of the Lodgings model, such as how much resident landlords can earn tax free, how to mitigate potential power imbalances, and how to safeguard vulnerable people.
There was also a detailed discussion about what level of rent is appropriate, how resident landlords and lodgers should be properly vetted, how to establish clear, transparent referral pathways, and how to support resident landlords and lodgers throughout a placement.
These conversations encouraged careful reflection and critical thinking, drawing on case studies from Housing Justice’s previous placements, helping to ensure the project is robust, safe, and sustainable from the very beginning.
Stacey and Ella also visited St. Julian’s, Guernsey’s emergency accommodation provision, where they met with staff delivering frontline support. The visit opened up constructive conversations about possible collaborative working to strengthen services and ensure emergency accommodation is delivered as effectively as possible.
There are ongoing discussions about whether Housing Justice’s night shelter network, membership offer, and associated Quality Mark could play a role in supporting and enhancing this work in the future.
Work so far & reflections
Since returning from Guernsey (on a much smoother plane journey), Stacey has revisited and strengthened the Lodgings in a Pack resource, incorporating the thoughtful questions raised over the two-day visit and including processes specific to this work in Guernsey.
At Home in Guernsey have now completed their first recruitment drive for resident landlords and are preparing for a second campaign. They have completed training and induction for their first placements, and have also recruited a staff member to lead the project. Their progress so far is a clear sign of their commitment to make Lodgings a lasting and impactful part of the island’s response to housing need.
Stacey reflected on the trip and said:
“What stays with me most from the trip, is the sense of shared purpose with a commitment to understand the communities we are supporting, creating community-led accommodation solutions so people can rebuild their lives with dignity. The opportunity to work with At Home in Guernsey as they a Lodgings Project in Guernsey, is both energising and rewarding. In the months ahead, we will continue to work closely with At Home in Guernsey. Once the scheme is firmly established, we will undertake a joint review of processes and outcomes, creating space for mutual learning.”
The trip to Guernsey marks the beginning of an exciting collaborative journey – supporting a fellow charity to reduce homelessness and housing insecurity within the unique context of Guernsey by developing a Lodgings project.
Housing Justice will not only support implementation, but also learn from the challenges and opportunities of delivering community-led accommodation solutions in a different legislative and geographical setting. We will also reflect on feedback about the guidance, processes, and documentation we have provided, strengthening our approach for the future.
A huge thank you to everyone at At Home in Guernsey for such a warm welcome and for their commitment, energy, and determination to make this project a success.
Read more on Guernsey’s Hidden Homelessness Crisis:
