Students in shared rooms, living in LIV Accommodation complex in Dublin could face price increases between 11 per cent to 14 per cent, due to an administrative error.
The 53 student residents signed contracts in the beginning of September, when the rooms were priced at €270 per week. However management has now revealed that the contract signed was for single rooms, and not shared.
The students are now facing an increase of €18.75 per week, for those with bunk beds, and an increase of €15.62 per week, for those with a shared bed. This will lead to new rent payments of €150.62 and €153.75 respectively.
The new increased rent rates will apply at the start of next month’s payment.
This came out on September 20th, when the students were paying single room rates for a shared room, and only one signature was found to be on the contracts for the shared rooms.
“After discussions and realising the obvious misunderstanding that had occurred between the students and the member of staff involved it was decided to arrive at a fair and balanced compromise that was then put to all the students involved,” said Simon Pollard, general manager of LIV Accommodation in Dublin.
“My team and I are sorry that this situation has arisen and will ensure that there can be no repetition of this isolated and administrative incident occurring in the future.”
Students were advised by the Department of Housing to refer the case to the Residential Tenancies Board dispute-resolution process, if they believe that LIV Student are in violation of contracts.
LIV Student will now face an investigation from the Residential Tenancies Board dispute-resolution process to see if they have broken the four per cent rent cap on student accommodation.
If found that LIV Student are in violation of the rent cap, they could face fines of up to €15,000, according to the board.
Many students now face an uncertain future in their accommodation, as the now increased rent rates could force students to seek cheaper accommodation.
“We’ve basically been told to either pay the increased rent or find somewhere else to live”, said one student. “We signed a contract, we shouldn’t have to pay increased rents.”
“I have exams, assignments, classes, and now I have to look for a room”, said another student. “I have college five days a week, there’s no time for me to try and view properties.”
Cian Dunne
Image Credit: LIV Accommodation