[dropcap]T[/dropcap]he cost of renting nationally is 11.8 percent higher than this time last year, and rents in Dublin have risen an average of 12.3 percent annually according to a report released by Daft.ie. This is the fifth quarter in a row where rents have increased by at least 10 percent nationally.
The annual rent for a single room in DCU Hampstead Apartments is €5,562 payable in two instalments. The double room is €5,634 annually.
A single room in College Park Apartments is €5,850, with the superior accommodation rates at €6,210 per year.
33 percent of Irish students live in purpose built accommodation, according to a report by The Union of Students in Ireland. 31 percent live in privately rented accommodation and seven percent live in digs.
38 of the 3,597 students who responded said that they don’t have accommodation, and that they sleep on friends’ couches, or floors, and cars. Two responders stated that they sleep on the streets.
The government launched an accommodation strategy in July that promised 21,000 student beds by 2024, in response to the renting crisis.
Minister for Education and Skills Richard Bruton launched the strategy which promises closer co-operation between the government and universities with regards to financing student accommodation.
The plan has made targets to develop purpose built student accommodation and increase promotion of digs. Homeowners are being urged to consider renting a room out to students, highlighting that they could earn up to 14,000 euro a year tax-free. The tax relief was introduced to increase the amount of rented accommodation available.
DCU VP for Welfare and Equality Podge Henry highlighted that the demand for the DCU digs platform has increased since its beginning two years ago, and that the platform was not built for the increased traffic. “Now it’s so much bigger and the layout isn’t great” Henry said, “we’re trying to fix that.”
“You’re wasting time doing admin work, but if you don’t do it, that’s students that mightn’t be housed”.”
“A lot of students don’t want digs and that’s understandable, especially first years, I completely sympathise with them.”
“You’d want to live with other students, and we’re trying your best to sort them out, but we don’t have much say, especially in regards to campus residences, we have little to no say there.”
Fionnuala Walsh