Accommodation Crisis For Incoming First Year Students

Plassey Village, Kilmurry Village, Thomond Village and Cappavilla Village are currently fully booked for incoming first year students next year.

Accommodation is always a big issue as many students want to stay on campus, however year on year the rooms are taken up earlier and earlier. Last year the rooms were completely booked at the beginning of April.

Speaking on the topic Students Union Welfare Officer Shane McCormack said:

“I would advise future students to contact the Accommodation Office; they will have a list of available accommodation off campus.

They will be able to provide an accommodation list to any students that are looking for accommodation.

Any landlords that are not recommended by the university will not be on this list so you should be confident in that list if you are not able to get accommodation.

There are a number of places off campus which don’t advertise through the accommodation list but do advertise in the windows so my advice would be take the time, go with your friends, look at the houses and secure a place for next year or you will have difficulty finding accommodation”.

If you are a student and you need any advice on landlords, contracts or the accommodation itself, go to the Welfare Officer coming in next year or Shane, who will remain in office until June:

“Come on in or send me an email and I’ll help you out.

The most important question to ask your landlord is if they are registered with the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) as that would be an inclination to show that they are familiar with their rights and responsibilities as a landlord, your rights and responsibilities as tenants”.

If your experience with your landlord has not run smoothly there are paths that can be taken to remedy the situation.

Keep in touch with the Welfare Officer and the Accommodation Office. You can go on to Threshold.ie which offer information and advice and if you need to bring a landlord to court it will be through the PRTB, who offers information but not advice.
By Michelle Hogan