Union of Students in Ireland calls for home owners to consider taking students as lodgers

Summary:

  • Major USI drive to encourage home owners to take on students
  • Photo and Interview Opportunity at 11.30am on Wednesday 6 August at St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre.
  • Serious shortage of accommodation placing student study and graduate targets at risk
  • Free website resource puts home owners and students in touch

 

The Union of Students in Ireland has begun a major push and information drive to encourage home-owners in Dublin to consider housing a student during term-time.  The call out is necessary as the student population in Dublin faces a serious shortage of accommodation, with CAO offers and the subsequent start of the academic year just a few short weeks away.  Speaking ahead of the first information drive in Dublin city centre, USI President Laura Harmon said:

“This is an access-to-education issue.  The cost of accommodation in and around Dublin has risen enormously, pricing many students out of the accommodation market.  Many “buy-to-renters” have repurposed accommodation they had previously made available to students for wealthier renters.  To compound this, the value of the student grant has fallen against inflation over a number of years. The end result will be students unhoused and dropping out. USI is calling for the government to form a task force on student accommodation – there needs to be a specific strategy on this serious and growing problem.”

As a short-term measure to support the initiative, the Union of Students in Ireland has put together a simple website, allowing home owners to list their spare rooms and their conditions, with the objective of providing students with contacts for those willing to help.

The system also allows for landlords and agents to place their available accommodation online – and it’s free to use.

The website is available at http://homes.usi.ie

Notes:

  1. USI is the Union of Students in Ireland, the national representative group for students in Ireland
  2. The website resource is free to use and has been developed as a service to students by USI
  3. Laura Harmon, USI President, will be available at the information drive at 11.30am on Wednesday 6 August.
  4. Students who have experienced difficulty finding accommodation, student welfare officers who support them and student leaders will be distributing information at St. Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre between 11.30am and 1pm on Wednesday 6th August and subsequently in Shopping Centres around the Greater Dublin Area.