Martyn Baudains
Partner | Legal
Guernsey
Partner
Guernsey
Big things are happening at Ogier. Change is embedded in everything we do. It is redefining our talent, our ways of working, our platforms of delivery, our culture.
Services
We have the expertise to handle the most demanding transactions. Our commercial understanding and experience of working with leading financial institutions, professional advisers and regulatory bodies means we add real value to clients’ businesses.
Sectors
Our sector approach relies on smart collaboration between teams who have a deep understanding of related businesses and industry dynamics. The specific combination of our highly informed experts helps our clients to see around corners.
We have the expertise to handle the most demanding transactions. Our commercial understanding and experience of working with leading financial institutions, professional advisers and regulatory bodies means we add real value to clients’ businesses.
Legal
Corporate and Fiduciary
Consulting
Banking and Finance
Corporate
Dispute Resolution
Employment law
Intellectual Property
Investment Funds
Listing Services
Local Legal Services
Private Wealth
Property law
Regulatory
Relocation Services
Restructuring and Insolvency
Tax
Banking and Finance overview
Asset Finance
CAYLUX Fund Finance
Debt Capital Markets
Derivatives
Fund Finance
Islamic Finance
Leveraged Finance
Listing services
Real Estate Finance
Regulatory
Restructuring and Insolvency
Structured Finance
Sustainable Finance
Corporate overview
Economic Substance
EIIS Services in Ireland
Equity Capital Markets
Insurance and Reinsurance
Listing services
Mergers and Acquisitions
Private Equity
Real Estate Structuring, Acquisitions and Disposals
Regulatory
Technology and Web3
Dispute Resolution overview
Banking Disputes
Corporate and Financial Services Disputes
Crypto Disputes
Enforcement of Judgments and Awards
Fraud and Asset Tracing
Funds Disputes
Insurance Disputes
International Arbitration
Regulatory
Restructuring and Insolvency
Section 238 Shareholder Appraisal Rights
Shareholder and Valuation Disputes
Trusts Disputes and Applications
Investment Funds overview
Hedge Funds
Managers and Sponsors
Private Equity
Real Estate, Infrastructure and Energy Funds
Regulatory
Sustainable Investing and Impact Funds
Technology and Web3
Local Legal Services overview
Cayman Local Legal Services
Channel Islands Local Legal Services
Employment law
Estate Planning, Wills and Probate
Expat services
Family Office
Intellectual Property
Ireland Local Legal Services
Make your Guernsey will online
Make your Jersey lasting power of attorney online
Make your Jersey will online
Notary public services
Property law
Relocation Services
Private Wealth overview
Employee incentives and pensions
Estate Planning, Wills and Probate
Family Office
Make a Jersey lasting power of attorney online
Make your Guernsey will online
Make your Jersey will online
Private Wealth and ESG
Private Wealth and Jersey Private Funds
Relocation Services
Trust Advisory Group
Accounting and Financial Reporting Services - Ogier Global
Cayman Islands AML/CFT training - Ogier Global
Corporate Services - Ogier Global
Debt Capital Markets - Ogier Global
Fund Services - Ogier Global
Governance Services - Ogier Global
Investor Services - Ogier Global
Ogier Connect - Ogier Global
Private Wealth Services - Ogier Global
Real Estate Services - Ogier Global
Regulatory and Compliance Services - Ogier Global
Our sector approach relies on smart collaboration between teams who have a deep understanding of related businesses and industry dynamics. The specific combination of our highly informed experts helps our clients to see around corners.
Ogier provides practical advice on BVI, Cayman Islands, Guernsey, Irish, Jersey and Luxembourg law through our global network of offices across the Asian, Caribbean and European timezones. Ogier is the only firm to advise on this unique combination of laws.
Keep up to date with industry insights, analysis and reviews. Find out about the work of our expert teams and subscribe to receive our newsletters straight to your inbox.
Fresh thinking, sharper opinion.
We get straight to the point, managing complexity to get to the essentials. Our global network of offices covers every time zone.
No Content Set
Exception:
Website.Models.ViewModels.Components.General.Banners.BannerComponentVm
Insight
01 October 2021
Guernsey
ON THIS PAGE
No-one can predict the future, and it is foolhardy to try, but after nearly two years of the strangest of times most of us can remember, conversations are taking place among those in the Guernsey construction and property sectors. We want to know if things are going to be different and, if so, for better or worse.
For some businesses the shift to the whole office working from home (WFH) was almost seamless, with high-end IT and an ability to pick up a telephone call wherever there was an internet connection. For others however the change to WFH was not so easy. If you were working in cramped conditions, with flaky IT and interruptions by others around the home, then you may have been glad to return to the office.
The willingness, or desire, to work remotely will ultimately affect the demand for office space, and therefore affect the value of those investments.
Immediately after lockdown some office-based businesses, having seen that productivity and efficiency were not adversely affected by homeworking (or may have actually improved), told staff they could continue to work from home if they wanted. As we get further away from the lockdowns, and we see fewer restrictions of our day to day lives, I wonder if some of these businesses may give this further thought - perhaps moving towards a hybrid model of home and office working to enable employees to combine the flexibility of WFH with the advantages of office working, such as closer contact with colleagues and the training and mental health benefits this brings. Other employers have faced even more significant challenges with long-term WFH, both bigger picture and practical, such as data protection, ensuring the health and safety of their employees and setting up workstations, which are more easily managed in an office-based environment.
Another important factor for Guernsey businesses, is that the commute to the office is really not that bad. For most it will be less than a 20 minute walk, ride or drive to enjoy the company of your fellow workers. I think that alone will mean that we will see a big difference in the take up of WFH in Guernsey compared to the UK.
Unlike some places, I think in Guernsey we will continue to see good demand for office space and that working from the office will be the norm, but with the experience gained during two lockdowns we will spend a bit more time WFH.
Without a doubt the residential property sector (both local and open markets) has been busy. So busy that there is a lack of property on the market. The lack of choice is making sellers cautious about advertising their own properties. Somewhat perversely perhaps, those looking to sell are worried that their property will sell too quickly. That will leave them needing to buy something and, with prices high and a lack of properties listed for sale, they are opting to stay put for the time being.
It also seems that the rental sector is having its own problems, with reports of a lack of rental property and high prices. There was a belief that investors from outside of the island were buying up properties to rent out. We have not seen that at Ogier, though it is quite possible. However, if that was happening in numbers sufficient to reduce the stock of properties for sale, then the lack of rental properties is a puzzle.
The reasons for the spike in property sales – a desire for a separate space to WFH, space to live with family for long periods and more outdoor space – will drop away as we return to offices and get further away from the risk of another lockdown. As the world opens up we will see people using more of their income on holidays and other reasons, and less on property. There will be a return to a more normal, steady, residential property market, but with the banks happy to lend and offering some attractive deals, and with high employment, the market should remain active for a while.
Martyn Baudains
Partner | Legal
Guernsey
Partner
Guernsey
Ogier is a professional services firm with the knowledge and expertise to handle the most demanding and complex transactions and provide expert, efficient and cost-effective services to all our clients. We regularly win awards for the quality of our client service, our work and our people.
This client briefing has been prepared for clients and professional associates of Ogier. The information and expressions of opinion which it contains are not intended to be a comprehensive study or to provide legal advice and should not be treated as a substitute for specific advice concerning individual situations.
Regulatory information can be found under Legal Notice
Sign up to receive updates and newsletters from us.
Sign up
No Content Set
Exception:
Website.Models.ViewModels.Blocks.SiteBlocks.CookiePolicySiteBlockVm