Student housing crisis deepens as landlords exit rental market

The scramble for accommodation has reached breaking point for thousands of students offered college places, with warnings that many may be unable to take up their courses because they cannot find somewhere affordable to live.

The Irish Property Owners’ Association (IPOA) has said urgent Government action is now required to increase the supply of student housing and to stop the exodus of small landlords from the market.

Without decisive intervention, the organisation warns, higher education risks becoming inaccessible for those who cannot afford soaring rents.

For years, smaller private landlords were the backbone of student accommodation, often providing cheaper alternatives to purpose-built student blocks.

However, the IPOA says a combination of rent caps, what it describes as over-regulation, and punitive taxation has driven many of these landlords out of the sector.

Unlike other businesses, landlords cannot avail of tax reliefs for refurbishments and repairs, making it increasingly uneconomical to maintain rental properties.

“The departure of small-scale property owners has drastically reduced the pool of affordable accommodation,” the association said.

“Students are being left with little choice but to pay inflated prices for purpose-built student blocks operated by institutional investors.”

For many young people, the effects are already being felt.

Students are reporting rents far above what they can afford, with some considering deferring their studies, settling for less-preferred courses closer to home, or facing gruelling commutes that damage both wellbeing and academic performance.

Others, according to the IPOA, are resorting to couch-surfing or living in temporary arrangements that offer no stability.

Mary Conway, Chairperson of the IPOA, said the situation is undermining what should be one of the proudest moments in a young person’s life.

“Students deserve more than anxiety about where they will live.

“But the reality is that affordable housing options are quickly disappearing because smaller landlords – who traditionally provided a bulk of rentals for students – have been forced out of the market. The cost of existing accommodation often far exceeds the average student budget.”

The association is calling for a two-pronged Government response.

Firstly, it wants universities to accelerate the construction and delivery of affordable on-campus and near-campus housing, easing reliance on the private rental market.

Secondly, it argues that policy must be changed to create a “fairer, more sustainable environment” for small landlords, including reforms in taxation and regulatory supports to encourage them to remain in, or re-enter, the market.

According to Conway, without such measures the crisis will deepen further.

“The Government must urgently rebalance the rental market,” she said.

“We need to create an environment that supports smaller landlords, which will in turn increase options for students.

“Without decisive action, thousands of students who received their offers today risk being locked out of higher education simply because they cannot secure a place to live.”