Q&A: Students have launched a rent-a-room campaign. Why has it come to this?

Students’ unions in Dublin are urging homeowners to rent out a room to students in need this year.

A critical accommodation shortage has led students to ask homeowners to rent out spare rooms. 

How has this crisis arisen?

It’s fair to say the scramble for student accommodation in Ireland is a perennial issue heading into each new academic year. Too many students are going for too few, and often very expensive, bedspaces for term time.

Report after report has highlighted these issues. Last year, Knight Frank said there were two students for every one purpose-built student accommodation bedspace in Ireland’s four main cities. It also said up to 50,000 more students could be enrolled in Irish colleges within the next 10 years.

Similarly, JLL said this summer that Ireland has around 40,000 student beds registered but have an unmet demand for 40,000 more. Furthermore, it said there’s only a pipeline for 2,000 more under construction across the country.

How much does it cost to be a student in Ireland?

A survey published just last week by Zurich suggested that the cost of third-level education to a student who is renting privately in Ireland has risen by 92% since 2019.

Highlighting issues such as inflation, fees and books/technology, it said that the annual cost for a student in third level could be as high as €16,100.

“Another significant reason why the cost of college is increasing is due to the accommodation crisis. Lack of supply in the housing market means higher student accommodation costs overall and until affordable student accommodation becomes available, this issue shows no sign of abating,” Zurich said.

On its own advice for international students, UCC has said that on-campus accommodation can range from €700-900 a month, and can reach up to €1,200 for a private rental in Cork. Total essential expenses for a person can reach as high as €1,880 a month approximately, it said.

What are students calling for now?

While highlighting what they say is a lack of action from universities and Government to provide adequate numbers of student bedspaces, students’ unions in Dublin are urging homeowners to rent out a room to students in need this year.

While acknowledging it’s often a far from ideal situation for many students, they said they were left with “no other choice” but to urge homeowners to let a spare room this academic year.

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“The housing situation has deteriorated to such a rate that many students are now considering dropping out of college because they can't find a place in Dublin,” said UCD SU president Miranda Bauer.

“Where digs aren't to be seen as a long-term solution, homeowners with a spare room can truly impact a student's ability to continue their education.” 

The students’ unions also highlighted the rent-a-room relief scheme as a benefit to those homeowners who do make space available.

How does that work?

Simply put, it’s a tax break that allows homeowners to rent out a room in their home for up to €14,000 a year tax free. If the amount received exceeds €14,000, you are taxed at the full amount.

Unions, however, urged that in this unregulated space homeowners should come to fair arrangements with students, being considerate of price and whether or not it is possible for the student to vacate the spare room on weekends.