THERE HAS BEEN a ‘notable increase’ in the proportion of students who are paying €750 or more per month for accommodation during their time in college, according to a survey by students in University College Dublin.

In total, more than three-quarters of students in who do not live at home or own their own home are paying over €750 per month in rent, according to the report by the UCD’s Students’ Union.

In both 2021 and 2022, around two-thirds of students were paying those rates. The Union has said that these increases are preventing students from having a holistic college experience.

Miranda Bauer, president of the Students’ Union, has highlighted the issue after presenting it as the main finding from the Accommodation Report. She has called on Government and education institutions to carry out their “duty of care” to students.

The Students’ Union have claimed that the stark differences in cost is evidence that “no meaningful improvement” has been made by Government to the student accommodation landscape.

Lack of student accommodation has been a long-standing factor during the housing crisis, particularly at the start of each academic year. Student representative bodies have been sounding the alarm over the lack of accommodation for almost four years.

Government has taken some measures to improve the situation, such as banning 51-week leases and extending the remit of the Residential Tenancies Board in certain arrangements. It has also allocated funding for over 2,700 more beds.

However, the report highlights that there is still a lack of regulation around digs-style accommodation, particularly when ensuring  that the rights of tenants are protected.

Digs-style accomodation was the third-most common type of housing, after excluding those who still live at home, according to respondents.

The majority respondents said they found the process of finding accommodation in Dublin “difficult” and very few found it straightforward. The students also cited difficulties to keep up with the associated costs with renting.

The Students’ Union has said that these findings point to the need for a reassessment of the existing housing supports available to students. Later, their report details that some of their findings have impacted their wellbeing and education of students as well.

Mairéad Farrell, Sinn Féin TD and spokesperson for higher education, has backed the students’ call and asked that Government expedite her proposal to ensure the rights of tenants in digs-style housing are protected.

Other findings in the report include that the majority of UCD students have encountered fraudulent adverts for housing during their search for accommodation. A minority of respondents said they had fallen victim of a scam.

Earlier today, gardaí issued a warning to students over rental scams after the force found that one third of all accommodation fraud reports take place during August and September each year.