Accommodation crisis: Fears students will end up 'sleeping in their cars' — again

Students at the South East Technological University on the Cork Road, Waterford. Picture: Dan Linehan

There are approximately 200 students on the South East Technological University's (SETU) waiting list for accommodation, amid fears the college could be facing "some students sleeping in cars" for the second year running.

The campus reopened on Monday and a further 2,000 first years are expected to start next week.

160 beds have been pledged and booked to the university's three campuses following a plea for people to embrace digs accommodation. Around 90 of those are on the Waterford campus, with the remainder almost evenly split between Carlow and Wexford.

A further 426 beds are owned by SETU Waterford but were fully booked months ago. Jacqui O'Connor, from SETU's accommodation office, said it is the "worst I've seen in my 15 years working here".

The "big thing" in the college's sales pitch through its Student Pad website is a tax relief of €14,000.

"The situation is very worrying and it could get worse," Ms O'Connor said. "It does help with retention rates if we can get students somewhere to stay in the area."

'Nightmare'

Renting turned out to be a "no-go" for second-year psychiatric nursing student Maime Keating, although she has been able to secure a place for next semester. She drives from her home in Cashel, Co. Tipperary, for now.

"It's an hour-and-a-half drive up and down. I've put €60 in the car for petrol so hopefully it will last me until Wednesday or Thursday, but you could be looking at €120 a week on fuel."

Ms Keating previously travelled by bus but still needed a lift from Cashel to Clonmel as there was no direct route to Waterford.

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Her classmate, Anelia Malicdem, from Castletroy in Limerick, stayed in a BnB last year, which she found "unsustainable".

"That was €200 a week for the BnB, for four days out of the week. Accommodation was costing me that much and going back up and down to Limerick after the week was a nightmare."

Public health promotion student Vincent Bohol, from Dublin, is sharing a room with a friend for his fourth year but is "used to it", thanks to growing up with five younger brothers at home.

Accommodation Officer, Jacqui O'Connor, said it is the "worst I've seen in my 15 years working here". Picture: Dan Linehan

Students' Union president at SETU's Waterford campus, Patrick Curtin, said student accommodation has become a "crisis" since he left Passage West for Waterford to study business and sports management in 2016.

"We've lost around 1,000 beds since then as their 10-year lease as student accommodation expired under Section 50 [of the Finance Act]. We'll know in two weeks after the first years arrive how bad it will be, but we could be seeing students house-hopping, commuting long distances and some sleeping in their cars."

He said students face exploitation as "there's no legislation around digs-style accommodation", with some being charged €200 each week excluding bills and needing to vacate on weekends. The union's recommendation ranges from €70 to €120.

"It's very unfair on first years who would have only found out where they were going last Friday," Ms Keating said. "They won't have a hope of getting someplace."