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Frequently asked questions

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You can find some of the most frequently asked questions below. If you have a question of your own, please get in touch and we will be happy to help.

Buyers FAQs

The first step should be to book an appointment with your bank or a mortgage broker, who will give you an idea of the price of property you can afford. This will be worked out on your income and any financial commitments you have. Then register with Indigo, so our team of knowledgeable and experienced Negotiators can help you find the right property. Think about your requirements - how many bedrooms you would like, whether you need parking or an outside area, for example. You may have a preference to which parish you would like to live in. Our dedicated team are on hand to help throughout every step of finding your new home.

You do not need to sell your property first, however it will put you in a stronger position as a buyer, as most sellers usually prefer to sell to someone who has the funds readily available. The alternative is that you enter a chain, whereby you must find a buyer for your existing home before any purchase of the new home can be completed.

You should advise us of the offer you wish to make, and your Negotiator will submit the offer to the vendor on your behalf, both verbally and in writing. You will also be asked what your position is, i.e., if you are a cash purchaser, or have a property to sell. All offers are subject to contract and survey. Once your offer has been accepted, your Negotiator will ask for details of the lawyer you will be using, along with documents for KYC (Know your Client). These will include a copy of your passport, registration card and current utility bill.

Once your offer has been accepted, you will need to instruct a lawyer to complete the legal part of the transfer. A good and experienced lawyer will guide you through the whole process, and can make the difference towards a successful property purchase, so it is wise to find a firm with a proven reputation.

Once you give your mortgage lender notification that your offer has been accepted, a survey of the property will be arranged on behalf of the lender, to ascertain whether there are any issues with the property, such as structural problems, to ensure that the property is safe to lend against. You should arrange your own survey for a more detailed inspection of any problems with the property.

Completion should take between four to six weeks. For freehold properties, contracts are passed before the Royal Court on a Friday afternoon. You can attend yourself, or a conveyancer from your legal team can attend through power of attorney on your behalf. If you are purchasing a share transfer property, completion can be Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays). After completion has taken place, keys will be released to your lawyer. Congratulations, you are now the new owner. Welcome to your new home!

Landlords FAQs

You will need permission from your lender to let your property. You may be able to get a buy-to-let mortgage if you are buying a property with the intention of letting it out.

Get in touch to speak to one of our expert letting team for a free verbal valuation, and to find out how we can help you to make the most of your rental property.

Choosing Indigo as your letting agent means that our highly experienced team will carry out the administrative duties associated with letting your home, so you don't have to. Our service includes a free verbal valuation, marketing your property to potential tenants, scheduling and conducting accompanied viewings, carrying out the necessary tenant checks, drawing up a tenancy agreement and collecting your tenant's deposit. For more information about our services, visit this page

Indigo charges a competitive 7% of the first year's annual rental income for its services. For more information on our charges, speak to one of our letting agents.

The Tenancy Deposit Scheme mydeposits Jersey exists to protect the tenant's money, and to help resolve any disputes at the end of the tenancy. Landlords and letting agents are required to transfer all tenancy deposits to mydeposits Jersey within 30 days of receipt from the tenant. If you do not protect your tenant's deposit you could have to pay a fine of up to £10,000.

You must declare any income on your tax return when you rent out a property. You will pay tax on any profit you make.  The amount of tax will depend on: the amount of profit your other sources of taxable income your tax exemption for marginal relief. If you're ordinarily resident in Jersey for tax purposes this also includes foreign property income. If you're non-resident for Jersey tax purposes, you'll pay tax on any profit from Jersey property income at 20%. For further information visit the Government of Jersey information page on property income and tax .

Indigo conducts an inventory of contents and a photographed condition report before the tenant moves in. That way, if you believe there is damage to the property at the end of the tenancy, you have proof of the original condition of the property and its contents.

A Gas Safety Record must be carried out by a qualified Gas Safe Register engineer, and checked every twelve months, to ensure that all gas appliances, pipes and flues are safe and working. An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is a legal requirement for private landlords in Jersey. You must have appliances inspected on a regular basis in order to receive an EICR.

You must give your tenant sufficient notice before you enter the property.

The tenant will either need to pay to fix any damage to the property, or the cost of repairing any damage can be deducted from the tenant’s security deposit at the end of the tenancy. The landlord should allow for expected wear and tear to the property and contents during the tenancy, however.

It is a good idea to take out rent guarantee insurance, which covers your rental income in the event that your tenant does not or cannot pay their rent.

Advice and Services for Landlords Renting Property page .

Tenants FAQs

You will need to provide details of your employer and income, your previous address and a reference from your previous landlord, and some bank details.

Rent is paid directly to the Landlord by standing order.

If your rent remains outstanding beyond three days of it being due, arrears letters will be issued. If the rent is more than fourteen days overdue, an interest rate of 3% will be applied to the outstanding amount.

The equivalent to one month’s rent.

The Tenancy Deposit Scheme mydeposits Jersey exists to protect the tenant’s money and help resolve any disputes at the end of the tenancy. Landlords and letting agents are required to transfer all tenancy deposits to mydeposits Jersey within 30 days of receipt from the tenant. The tenant is entitled to a copy of the certificate showing that the deposit has been protected.

You should contact the current suppliers at your new home to let them know that you’ve moved in. You’ll need to read your meters on the day that you move in so that your suppliers can give you an accurate first bill.

You can speak to one of our lettings team to discuss any issues you are experiencing with your tenancy, and we will help to resolve any problems.

You should contact us two months before the end of your current lease agreement to arrange its renewal.

You will need to ensure that the property is cleaned and if there is any damage to the property or its contents, this will need to be repaired to ensure there are no deductions from your security deposit. On the final day of the tenancy, we will inspect the property and if any deductions are made, you have the right to respond to and dispute any that you disagree with.  

You should close your utility accounts towards the end of your tenancy, advising your providers with your moving out date. On the final day of your tenancy, you will need to take final meter readings to get an accurate final bill.

Your landlord has up to ten days from your moving out date to advise of any deductions from your deposit. If there are no deductions, or if any deductions are accepted without dispute, the deposit will be returned to you by bank transfer.

The deposit will be returned to you by bank transfer. If you are in a shared property, the deposit will be returned to the named lead tenant.

If you do not agree with any proposed deductions from your security deposit, contact our lettings team who will advise and assist you.

Testimonials

To Amanda, Thankyou for all your help & support in very difficult circumstances!

To say I was delighted with Indigo Estates is an understatement, the service from start to finish was first class.  I was kept fully informed throughout the whole process, and could not recommend them enough.  A big thank you to the...

From the minute I met Sarah I knew I was in safe hands. Selling a house can be a very stressful time but Sarah has kept me informed every step of the way and always in an honest, friendly and professional manner. Nothing is too much trouble. I...

We recently sold our St Helier apartment through Indigo Estates. Our agent Kate was extremely responsive and always pleasant, guiding us ably through the sale process. 

Even though we presented her with some challenges along the...

Kate was just brilliant when we purchased our first family home here in Jersey. She is friendly, knowledgable and gave us some great advice about offering on a tender which we’d never done before. She was always available at the other end...

From the moment I met the Indigo team I knew I was in safe hands, their approach was friendly and professional.  The purchase of my new home could not have gone smoother, from making my offer to moving in, they were with me all the way....

Using Indigo Lettings was the best decision I made.  Reliable and efficient, their trustworthy approach took the stress out of letting my apartment.  They secured me a tenant within 72 hours, I could not have been happier with their...

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