Guernsey Open Market property: how it works
This page explains the Open Market/Local Market system in general terms. It is not legal or immigration advice, and the exact eligibility rules can change — always check the States of Guernsey's own pages before making a decision.
Two housing markets, one island
Guernsey splits its residential property into two separate markets. The Local Market is reserved for people with an existing connection to the island — those who are residentially qualified in Guernsey, hold an Employment Permit, or are an immediate family member of a Local Market householder. Time spent living in Local Market housing generally counts towards building that residential qualification.
The Open Market has no residency restriction: anyone, from anywhere, can buy an Open Market property and live in it. The trade-off is that Open Market housing is a much smaller slice of the island's total stock, and it's generally more expensive — and, unlike Local Market housing, time spent living in an Open Market property does not usually count towards Local Market residential qualification.
Open Market has four sub-categories
- Part A — private family homes. The owner or leaseholder and their immediate family can live there indefinitely, and can work in any job on the island.
- Part B — hotels, where staff accommodation is tied to the operating business.
- Part C — nursing and residential care homes, on a similar owner/leaseholder-plus-staff-housing basis.
- Part D — houses of multiple occupation, where several unrelated people can live together. The householder can stay indefinitely; other residents are generally limited to five years before a break is required.
Where to check the current rules
This system is set out in Guernsey's population management law and administered by the States of Guernsey. For the definitive, up-to-date rules — including anything that's changed since this page was written — see:
Current Open Market listings
See Open Market property currently for sale in Guernsey on this site, or Local Market property for sale if you're already Guernsey-qualified.