18% rent rise forces students to commute

More students are beginning to commute to college with Dublin accommodation rents rising an estimated 18 per cent this year, according to the Union of Students of Ireland (USI).

Without doubt the student accommodation shortage is now at crisis point. USI Welfare Officer Mr John Paul Swaine

USI spokesman Mr Darren McCallig told

ireland.com

the Union had anecdotal evidence that third level students were now prepared to commute from as far away as Carlow because of the difficulty they face finding suitable accommodation.

Estimates of rent increases range from 15 to 20 per cent this year, with the Institute of Auctioneers and Valuers of Ireland (IAVI) annual property survey predicting an increase of 18 per cent.

Today a group of Union representatives gathered outside the Department of the Environment to highlight their campaign for Fair rent, Full tenant's rights and Further investment in student-purpose accommodation.

Mr McCallig said the USI’s campaign to encourage the Government to provide student accommodation two years ago had resulted in the building of 2,000 apartments. A tax incentive - Section 50 - enticed builders to engage in the construction of the housing by allowing them write off income against tax.

But Mr McCallig said builders have now lost interest in the deal because Section 50 does not include mortgage interest relief and said the USI was calling on the Government to review Section 50 to include the provision.

Mr John Paul Swaine, Welfare Officer with USI, warned that students were being priced out of the accommodation market.

He said: "Without doubt the student accommodation shortage is now at crisis point. The shortage is most acute in the bigger cities. With the booming economy in recent years, many properties which previously housed students at the lower end of the market have been renovated and made available to higher income groups such as young professionals. Students are being increasingly priced out of the market."

Mr McCallig said he was optimistic this year's USI campaign would succeed, saying "it looks feasible". He told ireland.comthe Union was "calling on landlords to charge fair rents" although it couldn't force them to.