Over 900 rooms are available to rent on homes.usi.ie, an accommodation website where homeowners can advertise rooms for students to rent.
The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) is encouraging third-level students to avoid panicking over accommodation and consult the website to ease difficulties in their search.
In a press release, USI President Michael Kerrigan said: “To have 900 rooms ready to rent at one time on homes.usi.ie is a clear sign that homeowners are responding to the student accommodation crisis.”
Kerrigan continued: “There is still a shortage of accommodation, therefore anyone who has already accepted their place at college should start making arrangements for accommodation right now and to seriously consider visiting homes.usi.ie.”
The availability of rooms on homes.usi.ie will come as welcome news to students, particularly ahead of CAO Round 2 offers which will be published tomorrow, August 31. As the number of school-leavers entering higher education in Ireland increases, the search for term accommodation has grown increasingly difficult over the last number of years.
When speaking about the recent USI study on student accommodation, Kerrigan noted: “Worryingly, 38 students in our study on housing stated that they have no accommodation and had to sleep on friends’ couches, floors or in cars. In two cases, students declared sleeping rough and availing of homeless aid. We don’t want to see this happen to more students.”
USI is advising students to contact homeowners by mobile phone and discuss house rules before moving in.
A list of Trinity College students who have been allocated accommodation in Trinity Hall during the first round of offers will be published online today, August 30.
