Students urged to check rights and responsibilities

As offers of third level education places are made to students this week, the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) is advising students – and particularly those who will be looking to rent student accommodation for the first time – to check their rights and responsibilities when it comes to renting and avoid paying excessive rents by informing themselves of actual rents across the country.

The PRTB Rent Index, which is available on www.prtb.ie, provides students with important benchmark information and is an authoritative guide as to the actual rents being charged by landlords adjacent to all Universities, ITs and other Third Level colleges.

Compiled by the Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), and based on the PRTB’s own register of over 300,000 tenancies across the State, the Rent Index reveals the actual rents being paid for rented properties, as distinct from the asking rent which features in other rent reports published by other parties.

The index covers 446 locations across the country and five different property types.  This can help students and their parents to make informed decisions about the accommodation options open to them, both adjacent to college and along transport routes, and to negotiate the best possible deal on rent.

“Going to college is an important and exciting experience, but some students who are renting, particularly those leaving home for the first time, may need some support and guidance as they leave home and rent for the first time,” said PRTB Director, Anne Marie Caulfield.

“PRTB has found that many first time students are unsure of their rights, or who to contact if they find themselves in difficulty. One of the biggest challenges this year is the cost of renting and scarcity of accommodation. The danger is that students, in a desire to find accommodation, sign up to longer leases than they need or informing themselves of market rent in the area or of their rights,” she explained.

The PRTB Rent Index reveals the different rent levels across the country for different accommodation  – in the first three months of 2015, the average rent for a two-bed apartment in Galway City was €809.25, compared to €588.91 in Limerick, €867.20 in Cork, and €1,334.58 in Clonskeagh in Dublin, beside UCD.

Ms Caulfield also advised students to think carefully and consider all that is involved in renting a property and, perhaps, moving in with new flatmates.

“Remember that you may find yourself jointly and severely liable for your flatmates rent arrears or bills.  We have also published information on protecting deposits and how to ensure it is refunded at the end of the academic year, as well as a list of what students are legally entitled to in terms of the standard of rented accommodation, and their responsibilities as tenants.

“We would remind students to make sure they get the landlord’s name, address and phone number in case of emergencies – you’re entitled to that.  And don’t sign up to a 12 month lease if you will only be staying for a nine month academic year,” she added.

The PRTB would encourage students to search the PRTB website to see if their potential landlord has had previous dispute cases.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.