A new housing campaign launching today, will aim to encourage Dublin homeowners to let out spare rooms as digs by advertising the associated tax breaks.
Under Irish law, you can earn up to €14,000 in non-taxable income by letting empty rooms in your primary residence. The arrangement is not an official landlord- tenant agreement, and homeowners do not have to pay tax on the rent unless it is more than €12,000 a year.
Trinity College Dublin Students’ Union (TCDSU) are working in conjunction with University Dublin Students’ Union (UCDSU) to promote the new accommodation campaign. The campaign will use geo-targeted adverts online which will be used on the popular housing site Daft.ie, as well as affiliated sites DoneDeal.ie and Adverts.ie.
The project is valued at €14,760 and will focus on testimonies of positive experiences from students and homeowners alike.
One property owner, Carol Frey, has let out a room in her Dublin home for more than 30 years, and said: “I’ve had nothing but good experiences. The only advice I’d have for other homeowners is to treat the students like you’d like one of your kids to be treated. Have an open attitude and be honest”.
The project is launching a month before thousands of Leaving Cert students receive their Leaving Cert results. UCDSU President, Katie Ascough, said in a press release that the project “should be able to put hundreds of new beds on a starved market in time for september”.
Minister for Education and Skills, Richard Bruton was due to publish a national student accommodation strategy by June this year. It a statement made by a department spokeswoman, said the plan is “expected to be published in the coming weeks”.
