Accommodation
Although the SU can’t provide students with accommodation, we can signpost & give you some advice.
Accommodation scams have risen drastically, so please be careful when looking for a place to stay. Here are some tips to beware of scams:
TIP 1
NEVER sign a lease or hand over money without physically visiting the property. If you cannot physically view a property, ask the landlord or agent to arrange a virtual viewing. If they don’t agree to this, this may be a red flag!
TIP 2
ALWAYS request a RECEIPT for any money, do not hand over cash without a receipt.
TIP 3
ALWAYS make sure the landlord is who they say they are, that they really have the right to rent the property and that the keys work in the door.
TIP 4
If it seems too good to be true, IT PROBABLY IS.
To read more, UCD Accommodation Office has shared a document on more information on how to avoid scams HERE
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In a private rental, you can rent a room in a shared house or an apartment which is owned by a landlord. The landlord will not live in the house. You can choose to rent a whole house / apartment with friends, or you can search for rooms available in houses / apartments that are already shared, and a room has become available.
Here are a few options that are particularly useful for UCD students to find private rental accommodation:
We worked with Daft.ie on a student accommodation specific search, which searches places near UCD. You can find this HERE.
UCD Accommodation Pad is a purpose-built site, managed by UCD Residences, which carries adverts for rooms to let in the UCD area. www.ucdaccommodationpad.ie/Accommodation
Beware of cowboy landlords who rent out substandard accommodation, who especially target students who may not know their rights or may not be in a position to ask for them considering the high level of competition to find a room in the current climate. You should bring a parent or family member along where possible when viewing rooms.
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Campus rental accommodation is available to all UCD students. Most rooms are reserved for first year and international students. They have limited space and are an expensive option.
Campus accommodation has become far less affordable in recent years, as rents have increased by 76% over the last decade and it is due to increase by a further 12% over the next three years. UCD Students’ Union has been campaigning to reverse the proposed 12% increases, but we need more students to join the fight if we are to achieve this.
If you have managed to secure a room on campus, you have all the same rights and responsibilities of a tenant in private rental accommodation.
UCD Residences have their own website with more information on https://www.ucd.ie/residences/
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Digs is where a student rents a room in an owner-occupied house. You’ll be living with your landlord. Every Digs house has its own services and its own vibe.
Some digs only want students to stay 5 nights a week (Sunday-Thursday) whereas others will offer 7 nights a week. Some provide meals, laundry, and more. You can search for digs on UCD Accommodation Pad HERE
Due to the variable nature of what Digs accommodation includes, it is important to discuss in advance arrangements such as:
Is this to be a 5 or 7-day rental?
Is it a single, double, or twin room?
Is there a desk in my room or is there a place I can study in the house?
Are bills included in rent?
Are there any added benefits, for example, use of a TV room or WiFi?
Are any/all meals be included, or will you have kitchen access? Can I store my own food?
What are the rules regarding guests?
Do I have access to facilities to do my laundry?
In Digs, instead of a Tenancy Agreement, you and your landlord would sign a Right to Reside. You can download a template "Licence to Reside" HERE.
Benefits of Digs:
Cheap option
Can be a home away from home
Often close to campus
Drawbacks:
You have no tenancy rights
You may be evicted without notice and without reason
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Purpose built student accommodation has been popping up within commutable distance of UCD.
They are very expensive, and they are priced outside of the budget of the average student.
If you can afford to stay here, they often have private ensuite rooms with shared living facilities.
UCD Students’ Union are lobbying the government to stop building luxurious private student accommodation and to only allow the development of student accommodation that will be affordable for the average student.
Types Of Rentals In Dublin
Knowing Your Rights
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BEWARE OF SCAMS!
With the current housing climate, it can be easy to rush into putting that deposit down on the first house/room that becomes available. This is what scammers are hoping you will do so before you start your search, check out the great resource that Threshold has put together for spotting scams available on their website HERE.
If you have been scammed, contact the Gardaí immediately. The closest station to UCD is in Donnybrook:
Donnybrook Garda Station
43, Donnybrook Road,
Donnybrook,
Dublin 4,
D04 XC78
You can contact this station by phone on: +353 1 666 9200
You can contact the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation: directly by phone: +353 1 6663777
Or online: https://www.garda.ie/en/Crime/Fraud/
Threshold’s free advice hotline on 1800 454 454 (Mon-Fri, 9AM-9PM).
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Keep in mind that UCD is based in Dublin 4, which has the highest rent in the entire country. Therefore, the closer you live to campus, the more expensive your rent may be.
If you want to walk to class:
Clonskeagh, Donnybrook, Roebuck Road, Mount Merrion, Booterstown.
Cycling/skateboarding/scooting:
Milltown, Dundrum, Churchtown, Rathmines, Ranelagh, Stillorgan, Goatstown, Booterstown, Blackrock, Sandymount.
Public transport:
Pick a place close to a bus/Luas/DART line that services UCD. The most popular bus routes to campus are the 39A, 46A, and 145. The closest DART station is Booterstown or Blackrock. The Dundrum and Balally LUAS are the closest LUAS stops to UCD.
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Starting A Tenancy
The legal limit for a deposit is one months rent. You should not pay your deposit until you are happy with the property and have made sure you are not being scammed. This can be difficult, so ask questions and get advice from organisations such as Threshold.
Important tip: Once you move into the property, make sure to take clear photos of all of the rooms and furniture so a landlord can’t withhold your deposit for damage that you didn’t cause.
More info from threshold available HERE
Leases & Tenancy Agreements
Top two facts about leases:
1. Even if you didn’t sign one, you are entitled to your full rights as a tenant under Irish law. Your lease also cannot infringe upon your rights under Irish law.
2. If you live in Digs, you’re not entitled to most of the rights of a tenant, so it is extra important that you sign some kind of agreement with your landlord, just so you both know where you stand. This might be called a Right to Reside instead of a Lease or Tenancy Agreement. You can download our "Digs Licence to Reside" Agreement HERE
That said, please check out threshold’s advice page on leases HERE
If your landlord doesn’t want to sign a lease: that’s dodgy.
Signing a lease makes life less stressful down the line. You’ll have a document to refer to when you have a disagreement between housemates, or between tenant and landlord. Don’t be afraid to set boundaries!
If you are unsure if what’s in your lease is legal or not, please consult Threshold’s wonderful free advice hotline which you can call on 1800 454 454 (Mon-Fri, 9AM-9PM).
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We’ve all heard stories about housemates from hell. Most of us have experienced a housemate from hell. And maybe, if we’re really honest, one or two of us have probably been that hellish housemate.
Unlike with tenant-landlord disputes, there are no regulations under Irish law to resolve conflicts between housemates. So, the best way to resolve those issues is to set out an agreement amongst yourselves.
A housemate agreement isn’t an airtight legal document, it won’t completely stop disagreements from happening. But it will really help everyone to start off on the same page and resolve issues as they arise.
A few things to include in your housemate agreement:
Rules about guests and parties: Do you have to warn ahead? Who cleans up after? What if your guest breaks something?
Food: does everyone have their own cupboard? Is there communal food? Who pays for that?
Cleaning rota for communal areas
Quiet hours: in case you want to get sleep before that Monday morning 9am lecture
Are you responsible for finding someone else to rent your room should you move out early? Are your housemates?
The key thing about a housemate agreement is that everyone has to agree. Have a housemate meeting the first week you move in. Figure out what you want and talk it all through.
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There is a good run down of who is responsible for what parts of property maintenance and repair on the RTB website HERE.
Threshold has further info on what to do if the landlord doesn’t hold up their end of the bargain HERE.
If you think your housing is substandard in a ‘this is the landlord’s fault’ way, you can contact the relevant local authority to report breaches and arrange an inspection. You can find a list of local authorities HERE.
DO NOT withhold your rent as a means of encouraging repairs to get fixed as this may put your tenancy at risk.
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Much like a lease, an inventory is something simple you can do at the start of a tenancy to make things much easier later. For example, to get your deposit back without hassle.
Ask your landlord if they have an inventory of the property: what furniture and fixtures are included in the lease, what damage is present, etc. If the landlord does not have a list like this available, make one yourself! The Residential Tenancy’s Board (RTB) has a sample inventory available to download HERE.
RTB also recommends taking pictures of the property on the date you move in and sending a copy of these pictures to your landlord.
Both you and your landlord should sign the inventory, to avoid later disputes.
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MOVING OUT: WHEN YOU WANT TO END YOUR TENANCY
If you are planning on moving out, you must notify your landlord in writing and provide notice. The amount of notice you must give depends on how long you were living at the residence. Threshold have a great section on their website with advice on ending a tenancy HERE.
FINDING SOMEONE TO TAKE YOUR PLACE
There are no legal requirements regarding finding someone to fill your place in your rented accommodation if you leave early. This means that instead you need to find an agreement that you, your housemates, and your landlord agree is fair.
However, if you find someone to fill your room and your landlord objects to them, this is not sufficient reason for them to terminate your lease or withhold your deposit.
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Now’s time to crack out the inventory and photographs you took at the start of your lease – if your landlord threatens to withhold your deposit, you can use these documents to dispute that decision.
There is no designated timeframe in which a landlord has to return a deposit back, but the norm is usually within 14 days after the end of a tenancy.
The Residential Tenancy Board (RTB) has a simple checklist about getting your deposit back HERE.
They also have a service which exists to mediate disagreements between landlords and tenants, which is handy if your landlord unlawfully withholds your deposit.
Renting Advice
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No matter how long you have been living in a property, you have a right to a Notice of Termination and at least 28 days’ notice before your landlord can kick you out. The only time this doesn’t apply is when there’s been serious antisocial behaviour or behaviour which ‘threatens the fabric of the dwelling’ (try not to take sledgehammers to the walls, if you can).
There is a handy table on the Threshold website HERE showing how much notice you are entitled to.
If you have been living in a rented house/apartment for at least six months, your landlord must provide grounds for termination (basically, the reason they are ending their agreement with you).
Once you have been living there 6 months, you join the existing lease agreement – which means you have the same rights as the housemate who has been living in the house the longest.
For more info about your legal rights, call Threshold’s free advice line on 1800 454 454 (Mon-Fri, 9AM-9PM) or have a look at the resources on their website HERE.
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If you or someone you know is at risk of getting kicked out of their accommodation, the two important things to do are to:
Get in contact with as many supports as possible
Know your rights
SUPPORTS
If you are a student who is homeless or at risk of losing your home, you should contact your Student Advisor as soon as you can. UCD has several student advisors, each representing students in a different study area. You can find and contact your student advisor HERE.
If you believe the conditions of your accommodation are below living standards and are damaging your health and wellbeing, you can also contact the Welfare Officer in the student union to set up a meeting by emailing welfare@ucdsu.ie. The Welfare Officer can talk to you in person about emergency housing options, as well as how to manage the impact of homelessness on your studies.
Threshold is a charity which exists specifically to support people in Ireland who are homeless or at risk of losing their homes. They run a free advice hotline, Monday to Friday 9.00am to 9.00pm. You can call this line at 1800 454 454 or see their website HERE further information.
Click on the image to fill in the 2023 Accommodation Survey!
UCD Students' Union Accommodation Report 2021/22
The findings of this report are based on the responses given to two anonymous surveys conducted online by UCDSU. A total of 1,553 respondents filled in the 2022 iteration. The completion of the 2021 survey by 963 respondents provided a level of year-on-year comparisons and also laid bare the length of time that UCD students renting in Dublin have been impacted by this crisis.
Share Your Story
Do you have a story to tell about your experience with student accommodation or your search for a roof? If so, please share it with us as it may help us get the student perspective across to media, politicians and wider society. We will never share any details without your consent.