Student accommodations in Dublin?
June 18, 2013 10:08 AM Subscribe
My son will be spending a semester at Dublin City University starting in September (coming from the US). He's been trying to find a place to stay for himself and another student since January. Nothing available on campus and the popular off campus places are all full.
He's been checking on www.myhome.ie and www.daft.ie. Found a workable place but was told they don't rent to students. Other students he's talked to are planning on just going and looking once they get there (staying at a hostel until they find something).
I understand student housing is tight. Budget is ideally under €1,200/mo for a two bedroom flat. They will probably be there a year (co-op jobs after school).
Is looking once there workable? Any other suggestions on how and where to look?
He's been checking on www.myhome.ie and www.daft.ie. Found a workable place but was told they don't rent to students. Other students he's talked to are planning on just going and looking once they get there (staying at a hostel until they find something).
I understand student housing is tight. Budget is ideally under €1,200/mo for a two bedroom flat. They will probably be there a year (co-op jobs after school).
Is looking once there workable? Any other suggestions on how and where to look?
Best answer: Seconding everything DarlingBri says. Unlike in the US, my experience here in Dublin has been that people tend to look for rentals at the last minute and rentals often want people who can move in immediately. Looking on arrival is very doable. And with that budget, he'll have more money to spend on rent than plenty of non-students I know (including myself!). Gumtree is another possibility.
posted by tiger tiger at 11:37 AM on June 18, 2013
posted by tiger tiger at 11:37 AM on June 18, 2013
Best answer: Starting to look in January for a rental in September is unheard of in Ireland. They should be able to get a lovely two bed for that budget, which is more than most young professionals I know spend on rent. They will be seen as kings amongst their peers! The market is flooded with rental apartments but many of poor/subpar quality. The great stuff goes quickly and in my experience the real gems of places go on the day of viewing. (i.e. bring your checkbook and references to the viewing and be prepared to take it on the spot). Students may be off-putting to landlords but if they're prepared to sign a lease for a year they'll be fine. Such leases are usually breakable with 28 days notice so it's not the end of the world if he leaves early. I'd allow two weeks to find something on the ground. Daft.ie is the main website and you need to be keen, organised and eager.
If I were a DCU student with 1 year in Dublin, I would live in Stoneybatter or Phibsboro and buy a bicycle. The area immediately around DCU is quite suburban.
posted by bimbam at 11:57 AM on June 18, 2013
If I were a DCU student with 1 year in Dublin, I would live in Stoneybatter or Phibsboro and buy a bicycle. The area immediately around DCU is quite suburban.
posted by bimbam at 11:57 AM on June 18, 2013
Best answer: How breakable or not breakable a lease may be is down to the lease and the law.
posted by DarlingBri at 1:47 PM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by DarlingBri at 1:47 PM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: If it was workable to go over early or they're planning on renting sight-unseen anyway, do it before the middle of August, which is when the state exam (Leaving Cert) results and then the college offers come out for incoming first years, generating a sudden flood in the rental market. Not terminal but worth considering if it's an option.
Though living on campus might sound convenient, your son and his friend will be incredibly glad they didn't, as the area is pretty dull and lacking in amenities, and any non-campus social event will be expensive and/or difficult to get back from. bimbam's suggestions of locations are great and it would be worth adding Drumcondra to the list (below, like, Botanic Avenue, or you're in endless suburbs again) as well as the city centre (it's well-connected and they would be reverse-commuting). Just in case they're fairweather cyclists, Drumcondra Road/Swords Road and Ballymun Road can be a slow, bleak, tedious climb on busy roads – not terribly steep but not everyone's idea of a good start to the day...
If you or they are looking for a second opinion at any stage, my email's in my profile and I'd be happy to help – my boyfriend's a DCU graduate, too, though not a big joiner-in so he may not be an authority on campus life!
posted by carbide at 1:52 PM on June 18, 2013
Though living on campus might sound convenient, your son and his friend will be incredibly glad they didn't, as the area is pretty dull and lacking in amenities, and any non-campus social event will be expensive and/or difficult to get back from. bimbam's suggestions of locations are great and it would be worth adding Drumcondra to the list (below, like, Botanic Avenue, or you're in endless suburbs again) as well as the city centre (it's well-connected and they would be reverse-commuting). Just in case they're fairweather cyclists, Drumcondra Road/Swords Road and Ballymun Road can be a slow, bleak, tedious climb on busy roads – not terribly steep but not everyone's idea of a good start to the day...
If you or they are looking for a second opinion at any stage, my email's in my profile and I'd be happy to help – my boyfriend's a DCU graduate, too, though not a big joiner-in so he may not be an authority on campus life!
posted by carbide at 1:52 PM on June 18, 2013
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Your budget is fine. Traditional student rentals are often 40 weeks, so if they want a full-year let they're not necessarily looking for a student rental. It's both very early and very late to be looking for September; I would try again in August, and also look then on Rent.ie. Finding something on the ground once here is very workable, though I would make hostel reservations for a week right now.
posted by DarlingBri at 10:26 AM on June 18, 2013