Student accommodation – the hunt is on.

August 31, 2010

Approximately 200,000 students will be seeking accommodation in the next few weeks.  If you are one of them, the earlier you start your search the better your chances of getting the best value, location and standard of accommodation.

Campus accommodation comes at a premium but is ideally located for access to the library, classes and sports and of course, to recreational facilities.  Living in is a great way to get to know people in your first year. University accomodation caters for a very small percentage of students overall however and is typically over-subscribed. UCD charges between €4,288 and €5324 a year for their rooms and allocate on a first come, first served basis.  DCU charge €112.50 per week, payable in 2 instalments annually and operate a random selection process. It may not be too late to get your name down.

 

In the private residential sector rents are on average 8% lower than this time last year and are down 20-30% on 2 years ago.  Average costs per person sharing a house ranges from a low of €55 - €75 in Limerick and Waterford to a high of €80-€110 in Dublin.  Websites including Daft.ie and Collegecribs.ie are good places to start your search.

Standards of student accommodation have improved significantly since my own college days. Lots of new houses that have failed to sell have been released to the rental market.  

Ensure your landlord is registered with the Private Residential Tenancies board before you sign a contract and keep a record of all payments in a rent book. Happy hunting!