Students urged to know their rights
THE Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has urged third-level students enrolled for the academic year ahead to start searching for accommodation as soon as possible.
With a chronic shortage of accommodation across Cork city and county, USI president Michael Kerrigan said there were several useful resources available to students who are unsure about what steps they need to take to find somewhere to live.
“Students can check out www.homes.usi.ie if they are finding it tough to get accommodation. The USI and the Residential Tenancy Board (RTB) have also launched the 2017 Finance and Accommodation guide which detail the rights of tenants. This will be particularly useful for student who are renting for the first time,” said Mr Kerrigan.
While there is no legal obligation for a landlord to provide a written lease agreement to a tenant, a written agreement as to the terms of the tenancy, including all parties’ rights and responsibilities is encouraged to capture details which are not covered by the law. These may include whether the tenancy is for a fixed term and if so how long, if pets are permitted and who is responsible for maintaining gardens.
Regardless of whether a written lease agreement is in place, both landlords and tenants still have rights and responsibilities set out in the legislation. Both parties are encouraged to understand and discuss those rights and responsibilities so that it is clear from the outset and to reduce the possibility of a dispute arising subsequently.
The guide notes the need to ensure you have a record of all payments, including rent, either electronically via bank transfer or within a rent book provided by your landlord. There is a rent book also available within the guide, which also provides information on finance and offers budgeting tips on how to financially manage the college year.
The RTB and USI are advising students not to hand over money until they receive the keys, and the tenancy begins. In light of recent rental scams, USI is also urging students to transfer deposit money electronically, or if they have to pay by cash to make sure they always get a receipt.
Students are also encouraged to check if any potential landlord is or was registered with the RTB on their ‘published register’ available at www.rtb.ie as good landlords “tend to abide by the law”.
Mr Kerrigan described the guide as “every student’s go to resource” while living in rented accommodation.
“USI want to ensure students coming to college for the first time know their rights as tenants, and can budget for the year. The average cost of college is €12,500, and USI research shows 58% of students are spending between €256 and €500 for accommodation a month,” he said.
“The cost of accommodation is proving difficult for students and the cost of rent is leaving no money for food, travel or books. This guide will help students budget for the year ahead, and keep track of their spending to meet the costly demands of studying.”
Launching the Guide, RTB Director Rosalind Carroll said it provides helpful information on finding rented accommodation, viewing and moving into properties and ending tenancies.
“It is important that students are aware of their rights and responsibilities and that they openly discuss them with their landlord so that everyone is clear from the start what is expected which should prevent disputes arising. The majority of disputes that come to the RTB involve landlords or tenants who simply did not understand their rights and responsibilities,” she said.
“All tenants and prospective tenants are also urged to go to our website, www.rtb.ie which provides extensive information for both tenants and landlords, including information on our disputes resolution service.”