Tips on student accommodation
August 2010
Students now hand over on average €3,500 of rent every year, according to the Union of Students in Ireland (USI). They also pay a sizeable deposit.
When you're dealing with something as important as where you live and spending a large part of your monthly budget on accommodation, it is vital to know:
- How to get good value
- How to ensure that your deposit is protected
- What your rights are
- The minimum living standards that must be met
1. Shop around
It is very much a renter's market at the moment for students seeking accommodation. But it always pays to shop around: for example, if a 12-month lease does not suit you, look for a six- or nine-month one that does.
Remember too that the right location can save you money. If you live very far from college, it's not just a time-consuming commute - the travel costs can add up to a big expense over the year.
Think carefully about which type of accommodation will suit you best.
You may prefer living alone, though it is often cheaper to share a house or apartment - you will have more living space and can share bills like electricity, gas, cable or satellite TV, broadband and phone rental, as well as waste charges.
2. Where to look
Good places to look for accommodation include:
- College noticeboards
- College housing or accommodation officers - many colleges publish lists of accommodation just before the academic year
- Shop and community noticeboards
- Accommodation websites, including a growing number that specialise in student accommodation
- Letting agents and estate agents (listed in the Golden Pages)
- Newspaper classifieds
- Word of mouth from friends and classmates
3. Know your rights and responsibilities
The USI Rent Book 2010 is a guide for third-level students on accommodation issues they may face throughout the college year. The free guide has been produced with support of the housing charity Threshold and the Department of the Environment.
The guide explains what your legal obligations are in regard to renting accommodation. It also lists a number of support organisations and services available.
Copies of the booklet will be made available to all students at colleges throughout the country.
Among your rights and responsibilities as a tenant, bear in mind that:
- You are entitled to quiet and exclusive enjoyment of your home, and the landlord is not allowed to enter without your permission except in an emergency
- You can have friends to stay overnight or for short periods, but you must tell your landlord if someone extra is moving in on a more full-time basis. The landlord has to give you at least 28 days' notice to leave
- You have obligations too - to pay your rent on time, keep the accommodation in good order and not cause damage or nuisance
- If you rent a room in your landlord's house, your rights as a renter are more limited. So make sure you agree and spell out some rules in advance, such as the rent level and the period of the tenancy, notice periods, and any restrictions regarding visitors or noise levels
4. The deposit
Most landlords ask for a deposit - usually of one month's rent. You get this back at the end of the tenancy as long as you leave the property in good condition, pay any outstanding bills due and give proper notice.
Threshold says disagreements over deposits are the most frequent conflict between tenants and landlords and keeping records is vital to ensure tenants have something to stand over if a dispute does occur.
The housing charity advises students to record the condition of a rental property before moving in, to avoid any dispute with the landlord over deposits when moving out.
Some letting services charge an "admin" fee for finding accommodation. If so, always ask in advance what this admin fee is, and get them to put this in writing.
5. Watch out for scams
To avoid scams, make sure you have the landlord's full contact details and ask for ID and a business card. Pay deposits and rent by cheque or bank transfer, and ask for a proper receipt.
Also be on your guard for any flat-sharing arrangements that don't sound right.
Trust your gut instinct and check out all the arrangements before parting with any important personal information such as banking details, let alone your cash.
6. Disputes
It is also vital to keep accurate records of all rent that changes hands. The USI rent book can help you to keep a record of your transactions in case of future disputes.
If you have a dispute with a private landlord, you can contact the Private Residential Tenancies Board or your nearest Citizens Information Centre. College welfare officers and Threshold can also be good sources of advice and mediation.
Learn more
Read our guide on ConsumerProperty.ie to your rights as a tenant
Get information from Threshold on what's involved in signing a lease
Download the Private Residential Tenancies Board's guide for tenants (PDF, 94KB). The guide also explains the notice periods for the termination of a tenancy by the landlord.
Read the Citizens Information guides for tenants and landlords