National: New law set to prevent student accommodation providers from charging year-round leases
Legislation will ensure students aren't overpaying for accommodation, as providers will be confined to 41-week leases following attempts to charge students for longer than the academic year.
The Government has said it is committed to ensuring student accommodation leases next year are confined to the academic year following recent reported incidents of private providers charging students rent throughout the summer months.
New legislation to tackle the issue has been approved by Cabinet and will be introduced before the summer break. The initiative has been spearheaded by incoming Taoiseach and former Minister for Further and Higher Education Simon Harris, as well as Minister for Housing Darragh O'Brien.
In a joint statement in March, both Ministers said the decision to push through the changes to planning laws arose following a move by multiple private student accommodation providers to switch from the standard, typically 41-week leases that cover the academic year, to 51-week leases.
In one incident earlier this year, students renting from YUGO, a private provider in Dublin, were told they now need to pay rent throughout the summer months to keep their rooms, even if they will not be there. The change meant that on average, students staying with the provider would have to pay over €3,000 more per year to keep their rooms.
Speaking on the new legislation before Easter, Harris said he will amend existing legislation to make it “crystal clear” that when planning permission is granted for student accommodation that the mandatory lease period must be confined to the academic year.