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Renting

Don't let renting leave you too SPUNOUT!

Most of us rent accommodation when we first leave home. It's a nerve wrecking adventure to settle into a new flat or house and often means getting used to new flatmates, a new neighbourhood and maybe even a new town, job or life.

So it's not surprising if you get all spunout between flat hunting and moving in! Take a look at this section for some handy hints to take some of the heat off you.

Before you rent:

  • If you decide to move out of home then it normally means renting with others. You might have your own room (or share) and share the bathroom, kitchen and sitting room with your flatmates.
  • Check about heating, laundry, security and transport from where you will be living to where you work or to Uni or college.
  • Check if you pay rent for your room or a set amount of rent for the house. This is important because if you pay €200 or £140 a week for a flat with 2 people and your flatmate leaves then you'll have to pay the whole amount until you get someone else. If you're renting the room then the amount shouldn't change if someone leaves.
  • Ask about the deposit conditions. A deposit is a lump sum of money (often 1 month's rent) that you are asked to pay to cover any damage to the accommodation while you live there.
  • Many students find that when it comes to asking for their deposit back, the landlord charges them for damage already done to the flat. Make sure that the landlord gives you a list of what's in the flat and anything that needs to be repaired BEFORE you move in. Then you can't be asked to pay for anything already broken or damaged.
  • Bills are usually shared so check what you're paying for. Oil, electricity and the telephone are the usual ones. Try to avoid having a landline as you might find yourself paying high phone bills because of a flatmates calls. There are also line rental fees: you might find yourself paying the whole fee if your flatmates have partied their money away.
  • Find out if bills will be in your name or the landlords. If the landlord receives the bill make sure you see it to know exactly what you're paying. It it's the flatmates who receive the bills, make sure it's not just your name on the bill.
  • Ask for a meter reading when you move in so that the landlord can't charge you for expenses left by previous tenants.
  • Ask for receipts for the deposit and all the rent you pay.
  • If you're not happy in rented accommodation, give the landlord plenty of notice about leaving or try to find someone else to take your room.

CitizensInformation.ie has lots of useful info on accommodation here.

Find more information and support:

Threshold 
Web: www.threshold.ie 
Email: advice@threshold.ie  Tel: 01 6707000
Threshold gives free and confidential information and advice on housing, primarily private rented housing.

Focus Ireland
Web: www.focusireland.ie  Email: info@focusireland.ie 
Focus Ireland’s Advice and Information service: 01-6712555
The mission of Focus Ireland is to advance the right of homeless people to live in a place they can call home, through the provision of quality services, research and advocacy.

Daft.ie
Web: www.daft.ie  Email: info@daft.ie 
Tel: Ireland: 1580 880 880  Northern Ireland: 0906 906 2136  Website for finding rented accommodation and for buying houses.

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