College accommodation
Students are being warned not to hand over deposits for college accommodation until they know if they need it.
There’s still no clarity on what the college year will be like.
Students also don't know how often they will need to attend campus.
The Union of Students of Ireland and Threshold have teamed up to urge students to hold off for the moment so they are not left out of pocket.
Students warned against committing to accommodation without clarity on college attendance@TheUSI & @ThresholdIRE have joined up to ensure students are not fighting for the return of deposits & rent if circumstances change due to #COVID19
Full statement: https://t.co/ymjbMBIONa pic.twitter.com/Ppf18UDXre
— Union Of Students In Ireland (@TheUSI) May 27, 2020
It follows reports of landlords offering deals to students if they pay a deposit now.
The USI says some students have been offered two months’ free accommodation, if they pay upfront now for the next academic year.
Lorna Fitzpatrick, president of the USI, says students need to sit tight for the moment:
“The urgency among student representatives to deal with concerns about accommodation in light of COVID-19 is evident at USI Congress which is currently taking place where students are debating housing priorities and a number of emergency motions are expected to be tabled today."
"We have been working solidly on this issue as it is a really concerning situation for many students."
"The USI has been contacted by students from every college and university across the country who have been affected by this situation."
"We again call on companies and landlords to show some compassion to students that are in difficult circumstances."
We are advising students to be careful when signing up to new lease arrangements for accommodation for the 2020-2021 academic year, as no clarity has been provided on how third-level institutions will operate. @TheUSI @Lornafitz3 https://t.co/EirEK0dun1
— Threshold (@ThresholdIRE) May 27, 2020
“Now we are getting reports of some accommodation providers offering students two months’ free accommodation, if they pay upfront for the next academic year."
"It is very disturbing to see students being put under this kind of pressure."
"We don’t even know yet what college is going to look like in 2020-2021 – will students even need this accommodation?"
"The last few months have shown that refunds are not too forthcoming."
"As well as advising students to be careful, we are calling on government and institutions to provide some clarity on how they expect college to look next year.”
Both the USI and Threshold are calling on landlords to show flexibility.
