A Kildare student looking for accommodation in Dublin says the rental market in the capital is '10-times worse' for her than a working professional.
Robyn is due to start her first academic year later this month, and has been looking for a place to stay for four months.
But she told The Hard Shoulder students are being priced out.
"I've been looking since May - because obviously I have known about my place since then - and it's just increasingly obvious that the demand is way higher than the supply.
"But in a similar case, landlords seem to be taking extreme advantage of that in some cases.
"And the city is not fit for student living as it is".
"I've lived at home my whole life so I wouldn't have any landlord references unless I asked my mam to write a handwritten letter."
Robyn says some of the accommodation on offer is exploitative.
"I was looking today and I'm seeing these double rooms with about three twin beds in them, going for 500 plus bills a month each - and that's only one I saw today.
"You're asking these already vulnerable, stressed out students to fork out on these shared spaces in extremely close quarters - not only in a normal situation but in a pandemic, no less.
"Exploiting their need for that and saying 'OK, we're going to put two twin beds in a double room'.
'Professionals only, no students'
She says she may have to share a room with a stranger, owing to the high prices.
"Sometimes you look at the prices going for a private room and you think 'Is that going to be my only option?'
"The prices you're seeing for even a single room with a single bed are still just as bad.
"And even these shared rooms aren't that affordable on a student budget.
"The rental market is bad enough for a normal person, I think for students it's 10-times worse."
And she believes the rental market seems to cater more towards working professionals.
"The amount of times I've gone to look at an ad on Daft and it's like 'Oh, professionals only - no students'.
"I understand where the student stereotype may come from - but we don't even get a chance to get a foot in the door."
She says while can commute if she has no other option, this would hit her ability to use the campus.
"Again, that commute is such a physical and emotional toll on you as well - as well as really not being able to take full advantage of the campus itself, because you're worried about making the last train home from Houston".
