This article is from page 25 of the 2008-08-19 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 25 JPG
ACCOMMODATION is the main expense of college life and is the student’s (and typically the par- ents’) main financial worry. In recent times, there has been a huge change in the student rental market. Today, students throughout Ireland are find- ing an adequate supply of available accommodation, static rental prices and higher quality properties.
Student accommodation around the country has come on in leaps and bounds over the past number of years, with students now getting a fairer deal. Gone are the days when students were happy to live in sub- standard dwellings.
2008 has seen student rental prices staying static for much of the coun- try. It was expected by many in the lettings market that prices would increase this year. However, analy- sis by www.collegecribs.ie, the Irish online student accommodation da- tabase, rent prices have largely re- mained static for another year.
These static rental prices are large- ly down to the recent downturn in the property market and the increase in the supply of rental accommodation. The continued increase of on-cam- pus and ‘Section 50’ (purpose-built, tax-designated student accommoda- tion complexes) accommodation and
the increasing number of properties coming into the rental market in- stead of being sold, has provided for a ‘renter’s market’; allowing students a greater choice in accommodation for the college term.
Dublin still is the most expensive city for students to live in, followed by Cork, Galway, Limerick and Waterford. Research by www.col- legecribs.1e shows that the average price for students in Dublin is be- tween €90 to €120 per week, with city centre and south Dublin being the more expensive areas. Students living in the north of the capital will look forward to paying less. A stu- dent living in Cork will expect to pay between €80 and €90 per week. Students in Galway can anticipate paying between ©70 and €85, while University of Limerick students will be looking to hand over between ©65 and €80 per week, with the students of WIT expecting to pay the same.
Today’s student are more likely to look for more up-market accommo- dation – a departure from what the traditional student once looked for. As a result, landlords are having to update and improve their accommo- dation in order to attract and retain students. Broadband, microwaves, washing machines and dryers are all being demanded by the student of PAU eree