Students in digs are being “completely taken advantage of”, which must be addressed in new student accommodation policy, according to the University of Galway Students’ Union (UGSU).
UGSU President Dean Kenny estimated almost 20% of students in the city live in digs and those who rent out rooms are completely unregulated.
“Landlords there are completely unaccountable to the [Residential Tenancy Board] and the law,” he said.
“We're seeing day in day out here students being taken advantage of, deposits not being returned, being kicked out.
“A student there last month was kicked out halfway through December in the middle of exams and had to stay in a hostel until he found a new place to stay.
“And there’s no one to report it to because these properties are not registered.”
Student accommodation policy
The Department of Further and Higher Education recently unveiled a new long-term policy plan aiming to increase the supply of student housing.
Under this policy, the Government would provide funding to build new accommodation on college campuses on the condition a portion is allocated for disadvantaged students below market rate.
The policy also promises the continued support of the digs scheme.
Mr Kenny said the Government needs to provide more affordable student accommodation as soon as possible.
“Plain and simple we need a lot more student accommodation beds and we need the Government to intervene and work with higher level institutions to ensure rents are not sky high,” he said.
“We need this standardised design that they're on about to ensure student have a basic affordable place to stay they can call home and got to bed in at night.”
Reducing cost
Under the new housing policy, the Government has promised to increase the supply of purpose-built student accommodation to reduce competition between students and families seeking accommodation.
Higher Education Minister Simon Harris said the cost of accommodation could be reduced and the speed of construction increased through a standardised design.
Vacant properties will also be repurposed into housing for students, including properties on college-owned lands.
