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Ministers launch Report on 3rd level access to accommodation in the private rented sector

15/10/09

John Gormley T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, and Batt O’Keeffe T.D., Minister for Education and Science today, (15 October, 09) launched a report entitled Students in the Private Rented Sector: What are the issues?
 
The report was commissioned by the Private Residential Tenancies Board (PRTB) at the behest of the Ministers, responding to concerns raised by the Union of Students in Ireland regarding possible challenges facing third level students in accessing accommodation in the private rented sector, especially in the greater Dublin area. The report’s research was overseen by a steering group that included USI representation and was based on an extensive survey of over 1,300 students in 5 Dublin colleges. Among its key conclusions are:

· a majority of students are happy with their private rented accommodation, although 17.8% expressed a preference for better quality accommodation
· proximity to college is a very important factor in third level accommodation choices; in this regard, 92% of students get to college in less than 45 minutes
· a large majority of students have a positive relationship with their landlord, with only 5.8% describing their relationship as “poor” or “not good”

John Gormley, Orla Coyne and Batt O'Keefe

In welcoming the report, Minister Gormley reflected on his Department’s recent achievements in improving the minimum standards applying to the private rented sector. The former minimum standards which tolerated aspects such as external toilets and use of open fireplaces as a sole heat source have been replaced by significantly enhanced new standards. The Minister, recalling his own student experiences of substandard accommodation, said that “these new regulations bring to an end the era of the ‘Rising Damp’ traditional bedsit”.

Minister O’Keeffe pointed to the importance of the third level student cohort as a distinct sector of the private rented market and noted that the tertiary student population is estimated to reach 170,000 people by 2013.  “We must not be complacent,” said the Minister, “and we must continue to ensure that the supply, cost and quality of student accommodation continues to support the 3rd level student population that is a critical component of our future economic recovery”.

Copies of the report are available online at the PRTB’s website, www.prtb.ie.

ENDS

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