The student accommodation crisis in Galway

Lollipop95

(Wasn't sure whether this would get more of a response here or in the Galway City forum, so mods feel free to move the thread if you so wish!)

I know every place in Ireland is difficult to find accommodation but I think this year in paritcular, Galway is in a league of its own. I only got a place a few days ago and that was because of knowing somebody who knows somebody! Rent is also really pricey in Galway and the student accommodations are expensive too. AFAIK, all student village accommodation in Galway has long been booked out.

It is so disheartening and as I was in the exact same position a few weeks ago, I really empathise with anyone still looking. Commuting really wouldn't be any fun. There's been several articles ok the Galway Advertiser and the Connacht Tribune about the housing crisis in Galway. I really do think the city is crying out for new student accommodation to be built. Galway is really popular for students, so much so that's there's a House Hunting Galway facebook page. As far as I'm aware, there isn't one (not one as huge,anyways) for any other county.

What do you think of the student accommodation crisis in Galway? Are you affected by it or know someone who is? And do you think something desperately needs to be done about the situation? Me personally, I think absolutely yes.

9de5q7tsr8u2im

same story here in cork

noah45

Cannot get accommodation in galway for my daughter going to nuig. It seems there are hoards of people vowing houses and then landlord picks someone. Countless other houses/apartments are gone. Really don't know what shell do.
Ads should be removed from daft.ie if house is not vacant.

CatFromHue

I know this may seem drastic but can you/she change course to another college where accommodation is easier to find?

Alot of Unis and IT's actually offer the same courses so it might be something to look into.

the groutch

The reason there's so little student accommodation is the demand for rental properties from non-students.
And if a landlord has a choice between students paying 9 months rent a year, or someone else paying 12 months, it's a bit of a no-brainer.
You can't exactly go forcing landlords to take students.

snubbleste

It's not a Galway issue or a student issue
Rental accommodation is a problem in all urban areas and a cross-section of society.

Contact your local TDs and give them hell on the issue.

jaymcg91

snubbleste wrote: »

It's not a Galway issue or a student issue
Rental accommodation is a problem in all urban areas and a cross-section of society.

Contact your local TDs and give them hell on the issue.

Exactly, definitely isn't a Galway issue. Dublin is far worse off, for example.

Liamo290

I'm in the same boat going to GMIT and can't find accommodation anyway at all and I live in Wexford so commuting isn't even option looks like I might have to defer my course and work and do **** all for a year if I can't get anywhere to stay it's pretty sad because I was really excited going to college this year

CatFromHue

Have you thought about changing colleges?

I can't see the housing problem being that much better next year tbh.

Liamo290

CatFromHue wrote: »

Have you thought about changing colleges?

I can't see the housing problem being that much better next year tbh.

Yeah I thought about it but I think the only place I could do my course if I was to change is Dublin and that would even be harder to get accommodation

afkasurfjunkie

Are digs an option?

Liamo290

afkasurfjunkie wrote: »

Are digs an option?

I might have to consider it I stayed in Diggs in my final year in school and it was horrible no freedom and I would absolutely hate to stay in diggs again

Synnora

I'm in the same situation. I'm a mature student in NUIG, starting next week. I'm looking for a house for myself, my partner and young son but can't find anywhere that we can afford. And if we do see one, it's gone by the time we ring up. So I have no choice but to commute from Mayo - 2hr drive each way. I'm hoping we will find somewhere soon. Galway desperately needs more affordable accommodation.

Synnora

I'm in the same situation. I'm a mature student in NUIG, starting next week. I'm looking for a house for myself, my partner and young son but can't find anywhere that we can afford. And if we do see one, it's gone by the time we ring up. So I have no choice but to commute from Mayo - 2hr drive each way. I'm hoping we will find somewhere soon. Galway desperately needs more affordable accommodation.

alannahnicole

Have you seen the price of the digs? A house on headford road was €115 each in a TWIN ROOM. Only Sunday to Friday also!! It's a joke

kissmequick

Liamo290 wrote: »

I might have to consider it I stayed in Diggs in my final year in school and it was horrible no freedom and I would absolutely hate to stay in diggs again

Have you tried the Facebook House Hunting Galway (for sound people) Page?

It would be an awful shame to have to put off your studies 'cos ya can't find a place to live.

There's 3 places on the Page that might suit you, if within Budget etc., that were listed today/tonight, and that you might suit them!

noah45

Gone, too many looking

The Randy Riverbeast

Is this mostly a first year issue?

It isnt easy but I never had too much trouble. I dont even know of anyone who had to drop out because they couldnt find accommodation. A few people have had to stay at a friends or live in a hostel for the first week at most.

Liamo290

The Randy Riverbeast wrote: »

Is this mostly a first year issue?

It isnt easy but I never had too much trouble. I dont even know of anyone who had to drop out because they couldnt find accommodation. A few people have had to stay at a friends or live in a hostel for the first week at most.

I think everyone is having trouble all years if you look on the house hunting page for Galway everyone is having trouble

Lollipop95

Although I'm no longer affected by the accommodation issue in Galway, in the Independent the other day, there was a girl from Donegal saying "in Galway, if you're a first year you can't get anything unless you have connections" or something along those lines. As I sad in my OP, I only got accommodation through connections, so I think that's true, if you don't start looking until the CAO offers come out. Which I didn't. I did a plc so while I was confident I'd get my course, I wasn't 100% sure. The Facebook page is inundated with students seeking houses, so there's loads in the same boat! I can only imagine what it's like in Dublin, which makes me question why isn't there a facebook page for those house hunting in Dublin? Or anywhere else for that matter? I can only think it's because the crisis is bigger but that's hard to imagine because Dublin and Cork are way bigger cities. However on the other hand, Galway is a VERY popular place for students to go to college

athtrasna

There are Facebook pages for accommodation hunting for Dublin colleges for Dublin too. Student accommodation has been a neglected sector in this country and it's coming back to haunt the colleges now. I got my undergraduate degree in the UK and we were guaranteed two years on campus accommodation and had a large selection of accommodation types to choose from

road_high

athtrasna wrote: »

There are Facebook pages for accommodation hunting for Dublin colleges for Dublin too. Student accommodation has been a neglected sector in this country and it's coming back to haunt the colleges now. I got my undergraduate degree in the UK and we were guaranteed two years on campus accommodation and had a large selection of accommodation types to choose from

Totally agree. Lovely to provide all these courses but equally as important is a place to live for the students attending them.
This has been the case for years but gone worse now, I went to UCD and it was a constant crisis and scramble for on campus which you had more chance of winning the lotto than getting some years. Absolute nightmare and typically woeful Irish planning.

noah45

My daughter has finally gotten accommodation. What we did was set up an email alert on daft.ie in both sharing and for rent. The minute we got an alert we phoned up and after about 13-15 alerts eventually got one.

Doing this might help someone here.
Also there are facebook pages for those seeking accomadation.
Good luck

df_h

I haven't logged in years to boards and was away, but this thread is worth responding to IMHO to give a different point of view.

I was an undergrad and postgrad at both NUIG and GMIT about 10 years ago or more by now, so I know all about student accommodation in Galway (funnily enough rents back then were about same as now, probably more since 1000 euro for a 3 bed or so went a longer way back then, lol many of readers here might not have much memory of punts now that i think of it, damn getting old...)

Recently I got to experience the other side of the coin by putting our place for rent, we did not exclude students or welfare recipients in the advert and had one of the lowest priced properties for rent despite being recently refurbushed at great expense,
half of the contacts were from students,
so here are some observations which I hope helps people:

* Demanding that whole conversations are held "via txt" is just daft... it doesn't cost much to make a phone call and frankly its a bit childish
* Answer phone or try to be more reachable, i was surprised at number of people who were un-contactable and hence i wasn't able to tell them they can move in as soon as contract is signed and deposit/rent are paid.
* Have references and dont waffle or lie when asked for one, the reason this is asked for is that people do not want to see their homes trashed or endup with a tenant who constantly needs to be chased for payment.
* When the advert mentions a minimum contract of X months do not go asking for X/2 months or X weeks, there is a reason that 12 months contracts are standard, it is not fun to waste time every few months looking for new tenants, cleaning after the previous lot and spending money on advertising and PRTB and especially be landed with unpaid bills.
* We had people asking if the place will be available in 2,3,5, and even 9 months down the road when the advert says available immediately, not sure why students think a place will be "reserved" for them and kept empty for most of a year. A property does cost money and taxes to upkeep and often alot of money was spent acquiring it.
* Do have enough money saved for first months rent and deposit, telling the landlord that you are chasing your future roommates for deposit leaves a very bad initial impression
* Offering to rent a place without wanting to meet landlord or view the property is strange way to go about things


at end of day what a landlord cares for is
1) not having their house destroyed
2) not having to chase for rent
3) not have to babysit tenants or have them cause issues for others

PLL

df_h wrote: »

* Offering to rent a place without wanting to meet landlord or view the property is strange way to go about things

Great advice. I quoted the above to say the reason this happens often nowadays is because students are so desperate and worried someone else will take it they just say yes.

I have 24 year old friends who did this, they had lost out on places because the mammies and daddies of 18 year olds threw money at landlords. Money talks louder than a conversation with the potential tenants to gauge whether they're trustworthy.