Mayo student still looking for a place to rent after contacting 100 property owners

Chloe Nolan, a third-year journalism student at the University of Galway, has been searching for accommodation since the beginning of 2024. After contacting no less than 100 property owners through Daft, Facebook, Instagram and personal connections, Chloe has still not secured a place to live.

One of the main challenges Chloe encountered in her search for accommodation was a low response rate from people advertising available rooms online. Not to mention, the prices have been nothing short of extortionate. Chloe recalls stumbling across a twin room that cost €800 per person excluding the electricity and water bills.

In the likely event that she is unable to find accommodation before her return to Galway, Chloe is planning to commute from her hometown of Swinford.

“It will be a combination of commuting from Mayo to Galway, which is not a huge commute but it takes a toll, and couch surfing,” Chloe told the Western People. “It is tough on me but I also hate putting my friends out. Even though they say that I am not putting them out, at the end of the day I do not want to have to rely on my friends to live.” 

Chloe attributes the accommodation crisis to the lack of laws holding landlords accountable. Reflecting on her previous living situation, Chloe feels she was taken advantage of because of her status as a student. For instance, the house she lived in last year was only rented out Monday through Friday, yet it was no cheaper than a house rented out seven days a week.

“There should be a rent cap, especially in areas with a high student population,” Chloe adds. “If the rent continues to go up like this, I dread to see what it will be like in 10 years. Nobody is going to be able to afford university in Ireland anymore, not because of the university fees but because of the rent. It is turning a lot of people off going to college.” 

 Emil Kindl, ATU Sligo Students' Union Vice President for Wellbeing and Engagement, substantiates this claim.

“We have received numerous emails indicating that some students have had to defer their studies specifically due to the lack of available accommodation.” 

Student unions across the country are doing their best with the limited resources they have to help students who have been affected by the accommodation crisis. The situation in Sligo is complicated by the loss of two large student accommodation centres that are now being used for emergency accommodation for refugees. 

“We are actively seeking additional digs and self-catering accommodations to compensate for the loss of Benbulben and Milligan Court from the student accommodation market,” Kindl reports. “So far, we have managed to secure 296 bed spaces for students, which is significantly less than the over 500 spaces available last year.” 

In order to provide students with essential information about accommodation and financial literacy, the Students’ Union of ATU Sligo is collaborating with MABS, which stands for Money Advice and Budgeting Service, and Threshold, an organisation advocating for the prevention of homelessness.

However, the ATU Sligo Students' Union has also prioritised appealing to the Government for assistance. Kindl continues to advocate for student accommodation through local media channels such as Ocean FM and  The Sligo Champion. Recently, he addressed Taoiseach Simon Harris and the Departments of Housing and Integration on RTÉ.

Aside from deterring prospective students from attending university, the accommodation crisis negatively impacts students in so many ways.

“I know people who are in their final year of college at the University of Galway and they have to commute from Mayo, which is going to be reflected in their academic performance,” Chloe comments. “They are also not going to experience college life. 

"College is not just grades, it is the whole experience: the social aspect, being on campus, going to Eyre Square or chilling out with friends in Spanish Arch. These students are definitely missing out on that.” 

Missing out on the true college experience is bad, failing a class because commuting took a toll on your physical and mental wellbeing is worse. The biggest problem students should be facing is a messy roommate or a difficult assignment.