Guernsey homeowners are being encouraged to take part in a new scheme aimed at reducing homelessness.
At Home in Guernsey will launch a Supported Lodgings scheme in January 2026.
The initiative will see homeowners become Resident Landlords and rent out empty spare rooms to islanders who are insecurely housed.
The charity says it would give the homeless safe, affordable accommodation while they get back on their feet.
Landlords would also be able to receive up to £10,000 tax-free rental income each year.
The charity’s CEO, Charlie Cox, says it is a win-win.
"It could be that you’ve just got a spare room, and you'd like a bit of extra income, and the idea of sharing your house feels okay for you.
"Or it could be that the house is feeling a bit empty, you're feeling a bit isolated, and it means a bit of companionship, somebody to share conversation with."
Charlie says there is no need for anyone to sofa-surf or sleep outside in the cold.
"The last committee for Environment and Infrastructure, under the housing action plan, said that although there are not enough houses, there are enough rooms for everyone.
"We know how difficult it is to build, which is one of the reasons we look at supported lodgings.
"It makes complete sense to be maximising the use of spare rooms before we build anything else."
An information morning for interested homeowners will be held at the Specsavers HQ on 13 December from 10.30am.
Training sessions will begin in January, with the first handful of tenants moving in with Resident Landlords soon after.
"We’ll be vetting people, meeting with them, making sure that the partnership is going to work.
"The training for people would be just to make things easier, to make sure that the Supported Lodgings is a success.
There might be a bit more information around what forces people into homelessness."
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