Accommodation?

aof

Lived on campus for first year but looks like I gonna have to live in the real world next year. Any advice on finding accommodation for ucd? Where are the best (or least awful) places to live? Where is the best place to find out about places for rent?

fullstop

www.daft.ie

Blush_01

Websites are the best idea, from experience. Most estate agents will point blank refuse to deal with students. (Although the one in Stillorgan near Apache isn't too bad, even if they are a little bit brisk and not too forthcoming with the student-love.)

I have learned:

Living on a good (i.e. regular) bus route is more important than living half an hour by foot from college, but away from transport links to anywhere.

Hunt early. 80 other people will be looking at that half-built hovel with the corrugated plastic roof that you're looking at, and it won't be worth the price, even if it is in Clonskeagh.

Live with people who you're sure you won't kill/won't kill you, or else live with strangers who are moving in at the same time as you. People who have been there for a while and are settled will have their habits. You coming in and having completely opposing habits (especially where kitchen and bathroom hygiene are concerned) might just lead to aggro. People who all move in to a place together, even if they're strangers, have the same "claim" on a place, so you can discuss things more easily and establish rules/guidelines that work for everyone.

Trust your instincts. If you don't like a place/the people you're going to live with before you move in, DON'T just hope for the best. Be brave enough to call it as you see it. (I learned this the hard way.) Familiarity really does breed contempt.

Don't be afraid to stay with relatives/friends (of the family if necessary) for a week or two and commuting a bit. You might just find a gem of a place for next to nothing because someone has dropped out/transferred and left.

If you're scared about going the whole hog and moving out (applies more to freshers really) digs are an option. Just be careful your landlord/landlady isn't of the bunny boiling variety. If they'll lock you out when you don't arrive home by 10, they're not for you. If dinner is at 6 and goes in the bin of you miss it, steer clear. Unless that's what you want.

Amenities are important. It might seem like a good way to get some exercise if you live miles from the shops, but that won't seem like such a smart move when carrying a week's shopping home/when it's p!ssing rain outside and you have nothing to drink except fabric softener.

I think that covers all I have to say for tonight. I might edit later to add more as it comes to me.

Best of luck!

Stabshauptmann

One good thing I can say about the SU is the accomadation office is quite helpful. In september there is a big list of places to rent, though I think its mostly of the digs/room to let variety. Living in house with friends or strangers prob is better

singingstranger

Yup, I'm with Kap on this one - the SU send out postcards to pretty much everyone living in the local vacinity asking if they've got room to take a lodger or someone for digs for a while and a pretty big list usually gets returned but indeed they are of the digs and room-to-let type, although don't rule out looking because often a gang of three students, with room for a fourth, will come into the SU looking to advertise their space aswell.

Aside from that, daft.ie really is your best bet, my advice is to camp out in Daedalus refreshing your searches constantly for a few hours because often, good property that pops up there is devoured and let within 24 hours (provided the tenants are nice enough and such). Keep about €450 on you in this case because if you find a good place and can hand over a deposit immediately, the second they take your money they've created a contract and the place is yours. Try and get a copy of the Evening Herald as soon as it comes off the presses and - and this goes for all avenues - call the number supplied for any suitable property, even leaving it for fifteen minutes can mean it's taken from right in front of you.

Also, Blush_01's advice here is fairly on the button: examine all possible short-term measures too like living with extended family for a week or two - you'd be surprised at the amount of space that is left around campus after people drop out within the first few weeks.

Best of luck!

gubbie

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

One good thing I can say about the SU is the accomadation office is quite helpful. In september there is a big list of places to rent, though I think its mostly of the digs/room to let variety

I'm against them both
No it isn't! It comes way too late... September like? I think thats even early! Its not good advice to say "Wait for the SU to do something" because waiting until September is the most rediculous thing you can do. The OP obviously came on this to recommend somewhere that they could find early and you think they should go to the SU!!

DON'T

Its only good if you're looking for digs. I think most people who are looking for a place are not 1st years (as many 1st years are allowed on campus and many from the commuting countys do commute) but 2nd years different. And they all want houses with friends.

And thats brilliant advice Blush. Wouldn't disagree with any of it

Stabshauptmann

depends on your life stlye

Stepherunie

singingstranger wrote:

Aside from that, daft.ie really is your best bet, my advice is to camp out in Daedalus refreshing your searches constantly for a few hours because often, good property that pops up there is devoured and let within 24 hours (provided the tenants are nice enough and such). Keep about €450 on you in this case because if you find a good place and can hand over a deposit immediately, the second they take your money they've created a contract and the place is yours. Try and get a copy of the Evening Herald as soon as it comes off the presses and - and this goes for all avenues - call the number supplied for any suitable property, even leaving it for fifteen minutes can mean it's taken from right in front of you.

This is where the terrace was super handy. You can get the Herald in the city centre from noon or so on, takes a couple of hours for it to make it outwards to UCD etc.

I got a great place for second year by getting the Herald in town at noon and ringing all the places on it straight away. In saying that I seem to be rather lucky with housing - got into res in first year after being on the waiting list, got a room on my first phone call in second year and res again for 3rd year and i'm on res again for final year.

I agree with Blush on the staying with someone thing as well. I got a late offer to UCD so stayed with my Gran Aunt in Crumlin for a fortnight, now it was a bit of a bad commute but it was better to do that then end up in digs which was the only thing available by the time I started looking (as my father said when I suggested I may take digs 'you'd go stir crazy - you're too independent to live like that). So I kept looking and got a place after a while.

Another thing, if you've lived on res this year go down to administration before you leave and get a reference from them (you just need to produce a student card). It's worth having a reference to show someone and unless you've ended up with a massive file on your awfulness it'll be a grand little reference.

Finding one room is easier than looking for a house imo. You'll often find people will take a house but they're short one person, now you may end up with the box room but you'll often get good locations.

Roebuck Castle has a lot of houses that are studenty which is very handy for campus. I also recommend Stillorgan/ Kilmacud/ Mount Merrion areas, I lived on Thornhill road in second year which was about a half hour walk to college but 7 minutes by bike (15 on the way home due to the horrendous hill), close to the shops in Stillorgan and for those wet days had the good old 46b running.

dirtydress

Kaptain Redeye wrote:

One good thing I can say about the SU is the accomadation office is quite helpful. In september there is a big list of places to rent, though I think its mostly of the digs/room to let variety. Living in house with friends or strangers prob is better

They're helpful in that they provide photocopied lists, but thats about it!! I was in an awful state last year still trying to find somewhere to live in OCTOBER and went to Shaun Smith for help and he stood in the hallway, me nearly in tears worrying about it and said "eh, did you try daft?" I was furious.

As for advice, I'm in my third place of residence having come up from mayooo so you pick up a few gems, many are similiar to Blush but its worth reiterating!

Move in with people you know. You know them, if theres a problem you'll have it out and you'll both get over it. If its a stranger then they might not forget, or in my case be completely unable to engage in conversations besides mammy-like rants. If that's absolutely impossible then make sure they are students and are in the same situation as you. DO NOT move in (like blush said) with people who are already settled and, in my case, related. Its also a good general idea to move in with people who are (roughly) the same age as you and preferably students who will understand your stress at exam time!

Transport is key Even if its not to UCD. I live on the 17 bus route which, lets face it, doesnt really count as transport. But I'm about a half hour walk away from ucd. On the other hand I'm right beside transport to town which is really key, where are you going to be coming home late from? Town or UCD?

Daft is your best friend. Sign up for email alerts early and just keep an eye at what's out there. EVERYONE puts their ad on daft so its your best bet by far. Daft have changed their system now though so that their email alerts deactivate after a month, just make sure you reactivate it (pain in the ass)

For when you find someplace, check that there is a proper and lawful lease. This protects your rights and the landlords. Make sure the landlord is registered with the PRTB and you really cant go wrong. There are so many dodgy landlords out there its best to be safe, especially if you're in my situation with no family in Dublin - you dont want to be stuck without a home!!

Good luck in the search, if I think of anything else I'll post again

Also Starring LeVar Burton

Also ask your friends who live near UCD to keep an ear to the ground, you'd be surprised at how much they hear. Me and a few others are looking for a house next year and we asked another friend of ours to keep an eye out and within 24 hours she had found us 3 possible places, all within our price range and exactly what we were looking for.

Stabshauptmann

dirtydress wrote:

They're helpful in that they provide photocopied lists, but thats about it!!

i found the free telephone and map of dublin quite helpful too