ROOMS IN A RECENTLY OPENED co-living development in Dublin city, which argued in its planning application that it would help address Ireland’s housing shortage, are being advertised as short-stay holiday lets online.
As first reported by the Dublin Inquirer today, Niche Living on Ardee Road in Rathmines, Dublin has been advertising short-stay holiday lets on Booking.com after opening its doors to renters earlier this summer.
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council told the paper that its records indicate that the company managing the co-living development does not have planning permission to operate short-term leases.
“A planning enforcement file will be opened and investigations will be carried out to ascertain whether there is any breach of the short-term letting regulations,” the spokesperson said.
The short-term letting regulations, established in 2019, define short-term letting as being under a period of two weeks.
On the official Niche Living website, bookings are advertised for periods between two weeks and 12 months, with monthly rents for a studio starting at €1,990.
However, the company is also advertising shorter stays on Booking.com, with a minimum of two nights cost €259 for a standard studio room.
The listing has already amassed 62 reviews with an average score of 8.7 out of 10. The first review was published on July 7.
One reviewer wrote: “The facilities available were on point! Games room, open planned kitchen, cinema room, gym and the beautiful roof terrace!”
They added: “The rooms are very small for a couple sharing but it’s perfect for a short stay.”
Another review posted on July 12 rated the stay a six out of 10 and wrote: “Unit is VERY small, especially when the folding bed is down. The brand new building was not ready for renters yet. I’m sure it will be great when everything is working, but our heater was stuck on and we had to keep the window open the whole time, and two of our three mornings the hot water didn’t work.”
Niche Living, operated by Bartra Property (Rathmines) Limited initially applied for planning permission for the co-living space in July 2019.
In a socio-economic impact report submitted by the company to the Council in 2018, it argued that Ireland’s housing stock was “out of balance” with what was required and that the “failure to supply the quantity and type of housing that is required” was having negative social impacts.
A spokesperson for the Minister for Housing Daragh O’Brien told The Journal this afternoon that while the Minister cannot exercise any power in relation to particular cases, it’s important to note that planning permission is required for a material change of use.
“There are extensive enforcement provisions provided for and enforcement action may include the issuing of a warning letter and where necessary an enforcement notice,” the spokesperson said.
“We understand that Dublin City Council have said a planning enforcement file will be opened and investigations will be carried out to ascertain whether there is any breach of the short-term letting regulations. This is appropriate as they are the responsible planning authority,” Minister O’Brien’s spokesperson said.
Bartra Property have been contacted for comment.
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