An interior design student from Mexico says she had to move four times in one month because of substandard accommodation.

Yurali has been studying and living in Ireland since 2019.

She came here after already obtaining a degree in business, and a masters in communication.

She said she "wanted a break in my career and in my life back at home".

She explained to Lunchtime Live she decided on Ireland as it offered 'one of the best colleges in the world', as well as the benefit of learning English.

But she said finding somewhere to live was very difficult.

"I did have a really bad time trying to get affordable accommodation.

"Since I came to Ireland I have been struggling to find a decent accommodation - trying to have my own space and to have some privacy.

"I consider myself an adult, and I don't want to share a room."

She said she knew it would be hard to find somewhere to stay, but she organised something in advance.

"The first time I was living with a family, so I was living in a home stay when I arrived.

"And then I started looking by myself, and that is when I started having a lot of problems".

Image by mastersenaiper from Pixabay

She said she moved four times in the month after she moved away from the family.

"I found a place, I did the view[ing] and everything looked perfect - but when I started living there I started to find a lot of issues inside.

"Like I didn't have hot water, the washing machine wasn't working properly - all the clothes were coming out totally wet".

Another example she said was a lack of heating.

"When I was alone in the house, I didn't know how the heating was working - so I didn't have any heating for I think two nights.

"And I come from a really sunny and warm place, so for me it was like a big shock because I was totally frozen.

"I remember that night, I was literally crying because I was frozen and I didn't know what to do."

Yurali said the landlord then told her she could leave and take back her deposit, as these issues were not going to be fixed.

She then moved in with another student, for €800 a month, as opposed to her previous rent of €650.

'I don't want to go back'

But she said this did not last long either, as her flatmate told her they had to move out due to a water leak downstairs.

"Luckily a guy was very nice to me and he allowed me to live at his place for the two weeks that I was waiting.

"And when I talk with [the flatmate] to go back, she just told me 'I don't know when this is going to be fixed'.

"Then I realised, I was naïve, I would never go back with her - she was just trying to get my money."

Yurali said then she moved once more to a "Harry Potter room", before settling where she is now.

But she said she plans to stay in Ireland after finishing her education.

"I have a house in Mexico on my own, I bought it before I came here - and anyway I don't want to go back.

"I like Ireland, I like Irish people... I'm pursuing a dream about to be an interior designer, and I'm doing my best just to focus on that".

Main image by Photo Mix from Pixabay