Universities receive hundreds of offers from homeowners to rent rooms to students

Universities say they have received hundreds of offers from homeowners to rent rooms out to students on foot of a big publicity drive.

However, most accept that offers of “digs” will only make a small dent in the wider demand for student accommodation this year.

A combination of factors — including higher student numbers, low supply of campus accommodation the wider housing crisis — have reduced the stock of affordable places to live for the 2022-23 college year.

Most colleges who have on-campus accommodation say it is been fully booked and have switched their focus to boosting numbers under the rent-a-room scheme.

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Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris said that, as of last week, there were more than 700 rooms to rent available across individual colleges.

He said he hoped more homeowners will come forward when they learn that income under the scheme will not affect an individual’s entitlement to welfare supports, the pension or student grants

“Homeowners can earn up to €14,000 tax free; if you’re an older person living alone, you might be happy to take someone in, but you don’t want to lose the living alone allowance, the fuel allowance or your pensions. That has been fixed,” he said.

In addition, he said income from the rent-a-room scheme will not affect a student’s eligibility for Susi [Student Universal Support Ireland] grants.

“We’re trying to make it as easy as possible to maximise supply,” he said.

While “digs” fell out of favour during the height of the pandemic, most colleges say numbers have bounced back driven partly by the rising cost of living and clarity over tax and welfare implications of the rent-a-room scheme.

“We estimate that we have about 110 rooms available right now, which is good for this time of year,” said Brian Gormley, deputy head of student support at Technological University Dublin.

“The majority are offering four or five days a week ... It’s all waiting lists for purpose-built student accommodation. A few spaces may be released due to cancellations but, all said, this is the most difficult situations we’ve had in a good 15 years.”

At the South East Technological University (SETU), it says its new “student pad” website is helping to connect students in Waterford, Wexford and Carlow with homeowners with a room to rent.

Rent-a-room scheme

Jacqui O’Connor, SETU’s head of accommodation, said it has about 120 homeowners offering rooms, typically charging €450-600 a month.

However, she said that with an enrolment of close to 20,000 across the university, the rent-a-room scheme will make a small dent in overall demand.

At DCU, the university said its students’ union has a growing database of rooms to rent in the local area available to students, and there has been a recent increase in the number of people getting in touch to list rooms.

“Our priority is trying to ensure a positive student experience and we will do everything we realistically can to make that happen,” a DCU spokeswoman said. “However, despite all our best efforts, for some students, deferring their place will be the only option if they can’t find a place to stay.”

In Limerick, three higher education institutions — University of Limerick, Technological University of the Shannon and Mary Immaculate College — have joined forces to appeal to homeowners with empty bedrooms to consider letting out their rooms to students.

A UL spokeswoman said there has been a “positive reaction” from homeowners so far and it is continuing to appeal over the coming weeks to source as many bed spaces as possible.