Students looking for accommodation this autumn should beware of rogue landlords asking exorbitant rents for poor facilities, UCD's students' union has warned.
As students all over the State prepare for the new academic year and face problems seeking digs, the union cautioned that some landlords were using the shortage of housing to force unwitting students to take substandard accommodation at above market prices.
The areas of most concern were overpricing; overcrowding; substandard and unhealthy accommodation; the retention by landlords of deposits; and suspect leases.
Mr Tommie Hannan, the union's accommodation and employment officer, said an advice service for worried students and parents would be available, and that more than 50,000 cards would be sent to some south Dublin areas this week, appealing for flats, digs or spare rooms.
"We want to make students aware of the pitfalls and want them to get in touch with us rather than come to Dublin and take the first room they see," he said.
Some landlords were asking as much as €160 each per week for sharing a room. There was even one instance of a landlord looking for €1,000 per week for a room.
"We advise that the maximum a student should pay per month for a room is €450 and not more than €100 a week," Mr Hannan said.
He said students should contact him at the Students' Union office.
"Many students from outside Dublin may come up for the day to look for a room and take the first they see for convenience," he said.
The union hoped it would get a good response from people in the surrounding areas offering rooms at reasonable prices.
Mr Hannan reminded householders that rental income from offering a spare room in a house was tax free up to €7,620 per year.
Meanwhile, the Irish League of Credit Unions said there was growing evidence of parents and students taking out substantial loans to cover the costs of going to school and college.
Mr John O'Regan, the league's president, said: "Over the next few weeks, it is expected that tens of thousands of pounds will be given out in loans to parents because of the rising cost of schoolbooks, uniforms and other requirements ."
The increase in third-level service charges was placing even greater financial pressure on families, he said. He appealed to parents not to get caught in the grip of money-lenders to meet the costs.
"The financial burden is big enough as it is . . . There are much better alternatives such as credit unions," he said.