How hard is it to find a place in Dublin to rent?

Lord Trollington

Who would have thought it was so hard to find a property to rent in Dublin, Ireland's biggest city.

My experience over the last 3/4 weeks with Letting Agents & Land Lords has been appalling in my opinion. Maybe I need to get out more.

There has been at least 10/12 properties I was interested in.

First property I arranged a viewing with the landlord 6.30pm the evening I phoned him. Finished up work early down the country, drove to Dublin to find 10+ people in the Car Park of the complex . Thought there had been an incident so I waited in my car for a few minutes. Then suddenly everyone walked back to their own car, got in and drove away. Got from my car to view the property to be informed that it had been let and that everyone in the car park were in fact there to see the property but had not been afforded the chance to view it, despite making the effort of going to.

In Subsequent properties having been in contact with letting agents it almost like they are not interested in letting the properties they advertise. One letting agent said the property was available for viewing 2 weeks ago and he would contact me. The same property is still advertised but have still not heard from the letting agent despite having rang and sent emails.

Another property last week despite being a 3 bed apartment only has one parking space and any other cars being parked in the complex are being clamped and or towed away.

I've been finding dealing with the letting agents that for the vast majority of them are simply so incompetent I wonder how they are still in business.

Land Lords I've found that they don't return or answer calls. They simply allow their property to build up a vast amount of viewing bookings and then text or email out the viewing time inviting everyone in one evening. And f*ck everyone who has turned up to view it, first up best dressed as the case may be.

If thats they way they want to do things it is genuinely fair enough all ill say is that I hope that the business is always booming for them. Both Letting Agents and Land Lords.

maxpowers

its a nightmare - we are trying to move at the moment and any decent place thats fairly priced is getting overrun with punters. last weekend we saw a lovely place that ticked all the boxes but there was at least 10/15 couples looking at it as well - we didnt get it. we had references ready etc... we could be looking at 20 places or so b4 we get one. good luck house hunting!

athtrasna

Lord Trollington wrote: »

Another property last week despite being a 3 bed apartment only has one parking space and any other cars being parked in the complex are being clamped and or towed away.

Very common for any property built during the boom to have inadequate parking. Same here, 1 space per unit regardless of whether 1,2 or 3 bed.

Lord Trollington

athtrasna wrote: »

Very common for any property built during the boom to have inadequate parking. Same here, 1 space per unit regardless of whether 1,2 or 3 bed.

They want or expect professionals to rent the apartment but provide inadequate parking. A lot of working couples now have 2 cars and the way things are at the moment one half cannot afford to stay at home and watch Jeremy Kyle all day.

maximoose

Lease is up at the end of this month and have been trying to find a new apartment with my housemate. We must have contacted 15 or so landlords/agents and only heard back from half of them I'd say.

What I find most shocking is the new practice that landlords and agents seem to be doing. Advertise a house at a price, and that should be the price of it. 2 places I went to see had set viewing times, eg 5.30-6.30. Plenty of people turned up, and despite the place being advertised at €900 per month, they were having a tender to see who would offer the most rent for it... fill in your details, put down your max rent and hope you were the highest. Bloody joke.

Thankfully we got sorted with a cracking apartment lastnight and a very genuine landlord. Just keep at it

Lord Trollington

Anyone who pays more than the advertised price of the property are not only fools but they are also welcome to it.

It's a throwback to the Celtic tiger days with people buying houses except its renting. It's madness really.

monkeybutter

I think you just need to get out more fella.

You went to see a rental and because you weren't the only person looking at it you thought there was some sort of incident and stayed in your car until it was too late?

The Estate agent is there to do a deal for the person letting the property, not you, have you never rented before? The busiest time to view rentals is going to be the evenings after work, so if 10 people are interested in a place, doesn't it make sense to have them all view at the same time, you need to be there first. And if they can get someone to offer higher than the asking then doesn't that make sense also.

if you want to beat the rush, sometimes you gotta take time off work, typically an agent will have free time during the day and none between 6 and 8pm.

If you have been interested in 10/12 different places and you haven't managed to secure even one of them, then you'd appear to be doing something wrong.

Other than that, compromise on something, location would be the first one, the more popular the location, the longer you will potentially be looking. Other than that, there are good times to go looking, I always found the middle of summer was a lull, end of summer was busy, that is now.

Renting isn't the commitment buying is, 50 a month is 600 year, so if someone decides to pay slightly more to secure a place now, then it can make financial sense, or practical sense if they are stuck for time, just like sometimes a landlord will take a slight drop rather than wait for for someone else and possibly lose a weeks or mores rent. If they have plenty of interest then they probably won't do this.

lima

Lord Trollington wrote: »

Anyone who pays more than the advertised price of the property are not only fools but they are also welcome to it.

It's a throwback to the Celtic tiger days with people buying houses except its renting. It's madness really.

It's supply and demand mate, Dublin's a capital city and it's where all the jobs are. Get used to it and get out there and be fast. If you can't accept it then don't move here.

Kosseegan

Interesting to see how things develop in a few months. Where are all the people saying there is no shortage of property in Dublin and the rents would not go up?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=79006148

Lord Trollington

monkeybutter wrote: »

I think you just need to get out more fella.

You went to see a rental and because you weren't the only person looking at it you thought there was some sort of incident and stayed in your car until it was too late?

The Estate agent is there to do a deal for the person letting the property, not you, have you never rented before? The busiest time to view rentals is going to be the evenings after work, so if 10 people are interested in a place, doesn't it make sense to have them all view at the same time, you need to be there first. And if they can get someone to offer higher than the asking then doesn't that make sense also.

if you want to beat the rush, sometimes you gotta take time off work, typically an agent will have free time during the day and none between 6 and 8pm.

If you have been interested in 10/12 different places and you haven't managed to secure even one of them, then you'd appear to be doing something wrong.

Other than that, compromise on something, location would be the first one, the more popular the location, the longer you will potentially be looking. Other than that, there are good times to go looking, I always found the middle of summer was a lull, end of summer was busy, that is now.

Renting isn't the commitment buying is, 50 a month is 600 year, so if someone decides to pay slightly more to secure a place now, then it can make financial sense, or practical sense if they are stuck for time, just like sometimes a landlord will take a slight drop rather than wait for for someone else and possibly lose a weeks or mores rent. If they have plenty of interest then they probably won't do this.

Do tell what I'm doing wrong?

If contacting ringing and emailing over 10 different agents and receiving 1 or 2 replies is doing wrong well then I will concede I am doing wrong.

I have been renting the last 7/8 years, albeit not in the city but in very close proximity. I'll admit I've not had the pleasure of looking for somewhere to rent in Dublin until now. It will be an experience that will stand to me I'm sure.

A great lesson on Business and Geography all in one post from Lima.
It was the same supply and demand madness that created the current situation most people find themselves. Thankfully I kept my hands in my pockets during the boom.

listermint

Kosseegan wrote: »

Interesting to see how things develop in a few months. Where are all the people saying there is no shortage of property in Dublin and the rents would not go up?

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=79006148

Where in this thread has it stated rents have gone up? Poster goes to view apartments in very well sought after locations and misses out.... Shock!


There are plenty of rentals available still but everyone wants choice locations plain and simple.

athtrasna

Lord Trollington wrote: »

They want or expect professionals to rent the apartment but provide inadequate parking. A lot of working couples now have 2 cars and the way things are at the moment one half cannot afford to stay at home and watch Jeremy Kyle all day.

It's to do with the builders and the planning permission when the developments were built. Inadequate parking is pretty common - not something the landlord can sort retrospectively.

smcelhinney

There's some shady goings-on with letting agents these days. For example, a particular (well-known) North County Dublin based letting agent had a property for let in the Donabate area for €900 (2-bed apartment). I called and arranged a viewing a few weeks back. Went to see the place, along with 5 or 6 others, and liked it, so mentioned to the estate agent there and then that Im interested, could have a bank draft tomorrow, references etc. Fine, he said he'd email me following day to start proceedings.

No email. No phone. Called the office, few times, he was "out on site". Finally got through about a week later (pretended to be interested in another property!) and spoke to him, he informed me that the landlord had pulled the property from the market and was no longer letting. Thats fine, I thought, then why not tell me?

Checked 2 weeks ago. Property is back up for €1150.




TL;DR: Letting agents gauging interest by inviting multiple viewings, and changing the rent accordingly. Scum behaviour, if you ask me.

Kosseegan

smcelhinney wrote: »

TL;DR: Letting agents gauging interest by inviting multiple viewings, and changing the rent accordingly. Scum behaviour, if you ask me.

Were you complaining two years ago when you could bargain the landlord down on the basis that it had been vacant for a lengthy period and there appeared to be little interest??

Funnyonion79

Hi Everyone,

I have a 3 bedroom, two-storey penthouse apartment that I'm about to rent out for the first time in North Dublin on the Dart line. I've lived there for the past 6 years but have now moved to a house so I'm looking to rent it out.

It has two double bedrooms (master en-suite and balcony) and one single room. Upstairs there's a massive sitting/dining room with a balcony overlooking a park and a large separate kitchen. It also comes with two underground carparking spaces, although there's also lots of (free) parking outside as well.

If anyone is interested, let me know - I'm going over there tonight to take pictures of the place and the ad will be up on Daft tomorrow.

Ray Palmer

Kosseegan wrote: »

Were you complaining two years ago when you could bargain the landlord down on the basis that it had been vacant for a lengthy period and there appeared to be little interest??

good point. There were lots of people advising breaking leases too.
All is fair in love and war. Agents and LL have to deal with more of the market than most people ever do. This is why they have to get the most when they can.

maximoose

maximoose wrote: »

Thankfully we got sorted with a cracking apartment lastnight and a very genuine landlord. Just keep at it

Scratch that, after offering us the place on Monday night, he now decides to tell me theyve gone with someone else. Shower of ***** the lot of them.

gaius c

smcelhinney wrote: »

There's some shady goings-on with letting agents these days. For example, a particular (well-known) North County Dublin based letting agent had a property for let in the Donabate area for €900 (2-bed apartment). I called and arranged a viewing a few weeks back. Went to see the place, along with 5 or 6 others, and liked it, so mentioned to the estate agent there and then that Im interested, could have a bank draft tomorrow, references etc. Fine, he said he'd email me following day to start proceedings.

No email. No phone. Called the office, few times, he was "out on site". Finally got through about a week later (pretended to be interested in another property!) and spoke to him, he informed me that the landlord had pulled the property from the market and was no longer letting. Thats fine, I thought, then why not tell me?

Checked 2 weeks ago. Property is back up for €1150.




TL;DR: Letting agents gauging interest by inviting multiple viewings, and changing the rent accordingly. Scum behaviour, if you ask me.

That doesn't sound right from a business point of view. 2 weeks lost rent is €450 lost money.
It would take nearly two months of the new rent to make up the loss.

There was a big spike in rental prices back in early 2008 despite the fact that Daftwatch was going off the graph. It was down to landlords trying to pass their increased mortgage costs onto tenants. Within six months, rents had plummeted again. Now daftwatch trend is that supply is slowly but surely being eaten away.

I'm both a landlord and a tenant and it'd definitely getting a bit easier for landlords right now. Much more viewings and a better calibre of prospective tenants. Still very unsure what the long term trend is. Can't see rent allowance continuing to set that false floor on the rental market and it's very unclear just how many residential units NAMA/BoSI are keeping off the market.

Milk & Honey

Supply is tightening. With the house tax coming down the track it is unlikely there will be any increase in supply.

irishgirl19

Same experience as myself. Half the agents wouldn't return calls or emails despite the property still being advertised. Also had arranged a viewing in drumcondra with an agent, came from kildare and asked for directions just as i was near and he says oh its gone, i had only arranged 2 days prior and he never bothered to let me know. Also viewed a place in rathmines where the letting agent was very rude and I turned down the place for this reason, kept asking could I afford the rent even though I am in permanent full time work, made it out as if he was interviewing me to see was I allowed to take the place and the place was tiny for the price,what a rip off!

Have a grand place now.dealt with a very nice letting agent who never let me down and went out of his way to meet me at times that would suit, very good landlord too,keeps to himself and if there is ever a problem fixed quickly.im only 2 months into a year lease now,if i could I would ask him to do a new lease for 2 years.