It is not an easy task tyring trying to find somewhere to live in Dublin. Rents are high and availability, while getting better is still not where it should be.
We are here to help. If you have any accommodation you can email our helpdesk at helpdesk@ditsu.ie for advice on how to find accommodation and tenancy rights information. Before you start it may be useful to have a look at DITs Cost of Living Guide, this will give you a rough idea of what your expenses are likely to be.
Getting Started:
Here are some simple questions to ask yourself before you go searching for accommodation:
- What type of property do I need/want? House? Digs? Apartment with friends?
- What is your budget? Weekly? Monthly?
- What area best suits my needs? Transport? Shops? Campus?
- Here are options that may assist you with your search:
- Private rented accommodation can be found here: DIT Student Pad.
Off campus Student accommodation here, we advise contacting them as early as possible.
Digs
This is a very popular type of accommodation at the moment, because it can be more cost efficient than trying to rent an apartment or shared house. Typically this type of accommodation is where the student rents a room in a family home. It is a flat rate and can include breakfast and an evening meal. There are several places you can go to look for availabiilty:
The Viewing
Don’t hand over any money
Viewing the accommodation should be free and nothing should be signed off on or agreed
before you get to view the place and ask questions. There are always scams that operation online – through social media and through legitmate websites. Places like Daft and even DITs Student Pad cannot and do not vet and check accommodation, although they are quick to act when an ad is flagged as dodgy.
Ask questions
This is your time to look at the place and ask as many questions as you like. that you would like to ask while you meet your landlord and view the accommodation such as are bills extra or can you view the lease before signing it.
Bring a friend
It’s always good to get a second opinion and for safety too.
Check out the local transport and safety of the area before committing to a lease.
The further away the accommodation, the more money you will spend on transport so make sure you take that into account in your monthly budget. You can purchase your student student Leap Card for travel discounts in the SU hub in DIT Aungier basement.
Sealing the deal
The license agreement
Read over the license agreement before signing and ask a friend / family member for their second opinion on it.
Deposits and payment
Be careful handing over cash! Try to pay by card or cheque so there is a paper trail.
Get a receipt for your deposit, this should only be about 1 months’ worth of rent, although many places are now asking for more.
From the Editor: Going into first year? Read Rebecca’s article about what to expect here and you can get hints and tips from Deborah about how to cope with moving out for the first time here.
*on the 24th August information on Private Student Accommodation was removed from this article.
