ACCOMMODATION
Sourcing accommodation can be tricky for all students. This page should answer any questions you might have! If not feel free to contact emma@dcusu.ie
DO YOU HAVE A ROOM TO SPARE?
The 2023/24 college term is here and DCU students are finding it difficult to secure suitable accommodation. Without a roof over their head, many will have to defer their education. By renting out a room in your home, not only will you be helping our students, but you will also earn some extra money, which is now more important than ever with the cost of living on the rise.
We have an easy to use FREE platform (dcustudentpad.ie) that you can advertise your property on, with an easy step by step guide below.
Benefits
Earn up to €14,000 p.a. tax free through
rent-a-room relief (now open to council tenants)
No need to cook - you can offer students a self-catering option
Social Welfare benefits are not impacted
Digs License Agreement
We have a draft digs license agreement available below to offer guidance to homeowners and students when entering a mutual agreement when letting a room.
Got a Question?
Our Vice President for Community & Citizenship, Emma, and our Info Desk team are on hand to answer any questions you might have. Complete the contact from below and one of team will get back you as soon as possible.
HOW TO ADVERTISE YOUR PROPERTY WITH DCUSU
ACCOMMODATION ADVICE FOR PROVIDERS AND TENANTS
The accommodation shortage in Ireland impacts almost every part of society and finding suitable accommodation for the coming academic year is proving to be particularly difficult for students. With housing in such high demand, it is important that DCU students and their parents/guardians be informed of the options available to them.
While there are many options you have to get accommodation for the academic year, the reality is that by this stage all purpose built on-campus accommodation and student specific off-campus accommodation have already allocated all available rooms.
Other options include shared houses or apartments, but these options are also scarce this year and what is still available generally falls into the “digs” category. This is where a student pays a homeowner for accommodation offered on a full-time or five-day basis. Living arrangements are agreed upon with the homeowner. Digs can be a good option for first years and many students may find that this is the only option available at this point. Bear in mind that you have rights and responsibilities as a “dig” tenant and it can work extremely well for all parties.
Remember the maximum you have to pay in advance is a month’s rent and deposit, and you cannot be charged more for this (unless you are in purpose-built student accommodation and have chosen to).
If you have any issues or questions on anything above, contact emma@dcusu.ie.
We recognise that whether this is your first time moving away from home or you have rented accommodation before, finding the right place to live is crucial to a happy and successful university experience. To help make this move easier for you, we are here to offer support and advice on making the right choice.
Search smart. Don’t get caught by rental fraud – always meet a prospective landlord in the accommodation to be rented, bring a friend and remember to keep copies of receipts and correspondence. Make sure there is a rental agreement that you understand and have read in full. Ensure that keys fit and a rental contract is signed prior to paying deposit. Stay informed of your tenancy rights.
Get a receipt for the deposit paid and rent in advance. Damage or loss of property is a regular reason for losing a deposit. Make a list of furniture and appliances with the landlord. If there are any outstanding repairs, ask the landlord to state in writing that they will be repaired – take photos if necessary.
What is your budget? Working out how much you can afford to spend on accommodation each month is very important. You need to consider your expenses, including travel, bills and food.
What is included in the rent? When working out your budget, make sure you understand what’s included in the rent. Some accommodation offers all-inclusive packages so you don’t need to worry about utility bills and Wi-Fi, but others may not and with increasing electricity costs, some landlords are now billing for that separately. It is vital therefore that you always check whether bills are included in the rent.
Where are the most suitable locations? Although it is desirable to live close to the University to allow for a short commute, the scarcity of accommodation this year, may mean that you have to live further away from DCU to secure a space. Bear in mind that DCU has a campus on Collins Avenue in Glasnevin and also two campuses in Drumcondra, they are approximately 2km apart and are well served by public transport. You may have lectures on one campus exclusively or across both, depending on your programme of study. The main DCU Sports grounds are approximately 15 mins walk from the Glasnevin campus and 25 mins walk from the St Patrick’s campus, which also has a smaller gym and newly developed GAA pitches on site. Check Google maps for distances to prospective accommodation options, so you can research them and if you have any queries, please contact emma@dcusu.ie for further information.
Transport options:
All DCU campuses are extremely well served by public transport and the recent fare drops have made commuting more affordable than in previous years. Check out all the options here: https://www.dublinpublictransport.ie/
You should get a LEAP youth travel card or LEAP student card to avail of the cheapest options. If you are under 24 years, you don’t need to wait until you register to get your travel card. Details on how to apply are available here: https://about.leapcard.ie/
WHERE CAN I FIND ACCOMMODATION?
DCU Students’ Union facilitates an accommodation group on Facebook. This can be found here. In this group, landlords in the surrounding area advertise their listings and students can post looking for roommates and accommodation. Landlords must follow group rules when posting. We also have a database for digs in the area. Digs is an owner-occupied accommodation for students and D providers advertise their listings in both the FB group and through our master list of digs accommodation, which can be found on dcustudentpad.ie/Accommodation. If you have digs to advertise you can do so on this website.
Please be aware that the properties have not been inspected and DCUSU/DCU does not carry out Garda vetting on prospective landlords. It is the responsibility of each student and/or their parents/guardians to check the property and satisfy themselves that they are comfortable with the accommodation arrangements and the individuals involved before signing any agreement.
WHAT ARE MY RIGHTS & RESPONSIBILITIES WHEN RENTING ACCOMMODATION?
You can learn more about tenancy safety from the Residential Tenancies Board, An Garda Síochána and Threshold.ie, and learn more about your rights here.
Contact emma@dcusu.ie if you have any queries or difficulties.
ON-CAMPUS ACCOMMODATION
Applications for 2023-24 are now closed. More information is available here: https://www.dcuaccommodation.ie/
OFF-CAMPUS ACCOMMODATION
There are a number of on campus purpose built student accommodation in the vicinity of DCU. These are not affiliated with the University and are likely to have a mix of DCU and other higher education students. As demand is so high this year many of these have already allocated all available spaces and are operating waiting lists only. Websites for the nearby ones are listed below if you want to check directly with them.
https://www.hazelwoodstudentvillage.com/
https://www.shanowensquare.com/
COMMUTING TO DCU FROM OUTSIDE DUBLIN
If your home is within a commutable distance of DCU, this may be an option and while it is not ideal, it may be the only solution, either for the short or long term. Many students commute from not only neighbouring counties like Kildare, Meath, Louth and Wicklow but from Cavan, Wexford, Roscommon and Monaghan and even as far away as Sligo and Galway. Check with your local bus company for options to DCU or explore these websites: www.Transportforireland.ie www.irishrail.ie
We understand that commuting to and from college can be challenging and you may feel that you don’t have the same opportunities as students who can live on or close to the campus. Over the past couple of years, DCU and DCUSU have worked together to put some measures and facilities in place to help students make use of the commuting time and to minimise the disadvantages commuters’ experience. Here are some tips which may help commuters in DCU on a daily basis.
DEFERRAL
In extreme circumstances a student may choose to defer a year. Again you should speak with the student advice centre, the SU, a lecturer or programme chair before taking this decision. More information available here: https://www.dcu.ie/students/deferral-year.
Details on deferring a CAO offer are available here: http://www.cao.ie/index_ae.php?page=faq&type=offers