The government should consider drafting a homelessness law following the death of a vulnerable man in his 50s, a landmark review has decided.

The main housing charities are also said to be struggling to meet demand in the current housing market.

In addition, a lack of co-ordination has been highlighted in island agencies except for the prison and probation service.

The island’s Safeguarding Board published the report following a statutory serious case management review (SCMR) after the death of the man, deemed vulnerable because of poor physical and mental health over a number of years.

The review was led by independent off-island expert, Domini Gunn, and is the first SCMR for a vulnerable adult to be carried out in the island.

The independent report sets out a number of ’learning points’ and recommendations.

These cover the areas of inter-agency working, information sharing and both public and private housing provision in the island. It also includes improvements made since the man’s death.

The man, referred to as ’Mr H’ died from natural causes in 2019.

The report states that at the time of his death he was living in privately rented accommodation, following eviction from his local authority flat eight months earlier.

His eviction from his former home had an impact on the quality of his life and his wellbeing. It says: ’The poor state of his flat at the time of his eviction evidenced his inability to care for himself.’

The report notes: ’The SCMR found that, except for the prison, there was a lack of co-ordination across the agencies with whom Mr H had contact.’

In its recommendation calling for a homelessness law, the report notes that ’the lack of a legislative framework for housing advice, temporary housing and sources of support are resulting in residents relying on the voluntary sector as the only source of emergency accommodation, advice and support’.

The government is also urged to consider expediting the introduction of regulation of the private rented sector. ’Poor standards in some privately-rented housing, combined with far higher rents , are resulting in vulnerable people living in homes that are in poor repair and prejudicial to the health and wellbeing of the occupants,’ it says.

It is also recommended the Safeguarding Board should discuss with the Department of Infrastructure’s housing division the introduction of new approaches to improve the relationships between local authority housing providers and their tenants.

These could include tenant profiling where needs and risk assessments should be carried out where vulnerability is identified.

The report praises the prison on a number of points including the assessment of vulnerability and risk.

Glenys Johnston, independent chairman of the Safeguarding Board, said: ’One of the notable features of the review was the open and self-reflective contributions to the review and the total commitment to learn from it.’

A spokesman for the Department of Infrastructure later said it was ’pleased to play an active role in the serious case management review, together with other key services and the original housing provider’.

He added: ’The public estates and housing division of the department is working with the Safeguarding Board in the implementation of the recommendations and improvements for the future.

’In line with the Programme for Government and the policy direction of the department, a public consultation will take place shortly on the forthcoming Landlord Registration Bill to progress this important piece of legislation.