When you first come to Dublin to work, study and live, you must solve the housing problem. What kind of people rent a house, what type of house, how to pay the rent, and so on will affect the future life, not only time-consuming and difficult to get wrong, but also significantly affects the mood, which can not be ignored. How do you rent an apartment in Dublin? What are the channels for renting an apartment in Dublin? How much does it cost to rent an apartment in Dublin?
Common Types of Rental Property in Dublin
In Dublin, there are two main types of rentals: House, Apartment, and Homestay, which usually include the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, as well as the size of the property and its furnishings.
House
Detached houses are shorter houses with roof windows sloping into the rooms, with a small patio or other space. They are usually older, but this is the most common and best type of house to look for. They are divided into detached houses, semi-detached houses, and council houses.
Detached House: It is a detached house with independent gardens in the front and back, and the price is relatively expensive.
Semi-detached House: the main thing is that the front and rear have their garden, the space is relatively large, and there are no row houses, which is a very depressing feeling.
Council House: similar to Hong Kong’s ‘public housing’, most of the government relief housing the poor through the local council application and then arranges to move in; the monthly rent is the form of a little.
Terraced House (townhouse): generally there is no back garden, only a backyard called Yard, the front garden is usually not extensive, some even do not have. This kind of Terrace is built densely, one row after another, Terrace is divided into two double bed room or three bed room, two living room also have. Many of the terraces have the feeling of not looking very good on the outside, but inside, they have a lot to offer.
Apartment
Flats are mainly one or 2-bedroom flats, with fewer three-bedroom flats. The rent will be a bit higher if you find a community-type flat. It may also have its community system (security management, standard area cleaning, car park, etc.). There is also a chance to find a personal suite, but fewer properties are available, and most have one or two bedrooms.
Then there is the studio, a space with a bed, kitchen, sofa, etc.
Suppose you are a tycoon or care about privacy. In that case, you can choose a Studio apartment with a separate kitchen and living room, so the price is relatively high, but it’s comfortable to live in!
Homestay
Homestay is the first choice for many international students, and parents will be more relieved. The homestay hosts will take good care of you and help you with the language, which will make you feel at home, and you will be able to improve your language quickly. Generally speaking, the homestay has a contract with the school, so if the student is not satisfied, he/she can ask for help at any time. However, a homestay with three meals and accommodation is the most expensive.
Room Types
Share Room: A shared room is a room someone shares with you. Although the price is lower (usually for more than two people, based on the number of beds), you may feel uncomfortable and have no privacy if you are not with friends. And it may be quite noisy and annoying to live with many people in the same space. Finding this kind of room in Dublin is pretty standard, but this is the least recommended if the budget is not too tight.
Double Room: Double room, but with two beds. It is a room shared by two people to pay the rent.
Single Room: A single room in a house you rent alone, mainly with a single bed.
En-Suite: A single room with a toilet/bathroom, usually with a shared kitchen and living room, etc. Many of our friends love this accommodation, but not as much as a single room. The en-suite is not necessarily a double room only. It is an en-suite as long as a bathroom/toilet is in the room. It can be a shared room, single room, or double room.
How to Rent a Room in Dublin
In Dublin, there are two main types of rentals: Rent a house and Rent a room.
Rent a house: it’s a whole house, usually 2-3 rooms, it’s more suitable for people with similar interests or people who know each other to go to the same area, the whole house is still very cost-effective, about 1500-2300 euros.
Rent a room: renting a particular room, usually referring to a single room, assuming three rooms exist. Then, you can rent one of the rooms. The other two rooms share the living room, kitchen, bathroom, etc.
In the case of a whole house, the description usually indicates whether it is furnished or unfurnished. For the same property, the unfurnished price is usually a little lower. Furniture includes sofas, coffee tables, dining tables and chairs, beds, wardrobes, etc. The landlord provides furniture that meets the basic needs. You can also add your own if you need to.
Channels for Renting an Apartment in Dublin
Rental Websites/Apps
Nowadays, more and more people are looking for properties through rental websites, which is easy and convenient. And you can check the properties you want just by moving your hands. In Ireland, there are also a lot of websites that provide rental services, these platforms are either released by the landlords themselves, or released by agents. Of course, it does not rule out the existence of scammers, of which the most used rental website in Ireland should be Daft. Ie.
Generally, these rental sites have complete search functions. In addition to providing housing, each platform’s additional features have their own characteristics. You may wish to think about what they need before renting a room or spend some time looking at a few platforms. However, the size of each rental website varies. And the quality of the listings on the website varies. So it would be best if you kept your eyes peeled when screening.
Real Estate Agents
Want to find the right property? You can also contact the significant real estate agents or check their official website, directly access their management of the property for rent information, especially some of the “haven’t had time” in the market to promote the property, meet the right can be “cut off! “(iii) Students’ offices of universities and colleges.
Student Office of Universities
Universities and colleges have student dormitories or cooperative student flats, which you can learn about on their official websites or by contacting the student office and applying as early as possible because the number of places is limited. You can also contact a host family through the university’s student office. You can also contact the Chinese student unions of universities and join student WeChat groups to exchange and share rental information with older students and fellow students.
Transitional Rentals
After arriving in Ireland, you can also consider renting a short-term rental flat on Airbnb for 1-2 weeks to find and look for a room. When choosing a long-term rental property, if you don’t know much about the type of room, area, etc., it is still necessary to spend some time understanding and communicating. After all, you will have to live in the place of this choice for the next year or even longer.
Recommended Websites/Apps for Renting in Ireland
uhomes
[Website Address] https://en.uhomes.com/
【Website Introduction】uhomes is a global long-stay flat booking platform founded in 2015. It provides various room types for Irish student flats and offers professional help for many students renting their favourite Irish houses. The platform mainly provides rental and purchase services for overseas students. It also serves students returning from their studies to help them adapt to the domestic environment as soon as possible.
The Business of Uhomes Includes
Overseas Room Rental: Providing information on housing recommended by consultants with overseas study experience, including booking and renting international student flats, matching demand and renting of overseas B&Bs, and matching demand for homestay.
Rent payment service: Solve the problem of paying international students abroad by providing an online rent payment service and exempting all exchange and service fees.
Pick-up service: its sub-brand 91flight provides pick-up and drop-off services in major cities worldwide, with Chinese drivers responsible for picking up and dropping off at their destinations.
Daft. ie
[Website Address] https://www.daft.ie/
【Website Introduction】Daft. i.e., Ireland’s largest provider of information about housing rental, sale, and purchase of information sites, providing comprehensive and timely real estate news and information on significant cities, new homes, second-hand housing, rental housing, and renovation information. This is the most complete and secure website for rental details. It includes all types of properties in all areas of Ireland. Among the Irish rental websites, daft. i.e., it is recognised as one of the bigger ones.
If you are looking for a whole house, search under Rent. If you are looking for a shared house, search under Share. Daft. i.e., it is not owned by any particular estate agency. And individual landlords and estate agents can post properties on the site. Although Daft. ie seems to put some effort into the authenticity of its listings, it’s better to be careful.
Daft. i.e., it does not require proof of employment or salary to rent a property. The landlord may ask you for references, mainly contact details of previous landlords, etc. This applies to people who have been renting in Ireland for many years. Those new to Ireland can usually only provide references from their employer. These are to prove to the landlord that you can rent steadily and are not mandatory.
MyHome.ie
[Website Address] https://www.myhome.ie/
【Website Introduction】MyHome is Ireland’s leading property and housing portal. Founded in 2001, MyHome has transformed the home search experience for thousands of home buyers and provided an efficient and effective marketing tool for real estate agents.
MyHome, Ireland’s premium online property platform, offers a wide range of property searches, including new and second-hand properties, rental homes, shared homes, Irish holiday homes, commercial properties, overseas properties for sale, and overseas holiday lets.
Private landlords and agents place properties for rent on this website, which has a sophisticated search system that filters the information and contact details of properties for rent to suit the area, budget and type of property. Generally, the properties on this site are mainly long-term rentals. In recent years, MyHome has continued to grow with a rebrand in September 2011, followed by the launch of a range of mobile apps for iPhone, Android and iPad.
Rent. ie
[Website Address] https://www.rent.ie/
【Website Introduction】 Rent. ie was launched in November 2008 by Daft Media, one of Ireland’s largest online media groups. The aim is to provide the fastest, easiest to use and most up-to-date lettings website on the market. Rent. ie lists the widest selection of rental properties in Ireland. The site has 8,705 properties for rent online, with thousands more being added daily. All rental details pages include prices, photos, contact information, floor plans and virtual tours.
Let. ie
[Website Address] https://www.let.ie/
【Website Introduction】Let. i.e., it is owned by Daft Media, one of Ireland’s largest online media groups, and it was launched in September 2002. The aim is to provide the fastest, easiest-to-use, and most up-to-date website. Let. ie lists the widest selection of properties for rent in Ireland. The site has 5,962 online properties, with thousands more being added daily. All listings include pricing, photos, contact information and floor plans.
Other Rental Websites Recommended
Long term rental site:
Findahome.ie
CollegeCribs.ie
Property.ie
Let.ie
Rent.ie
Hostingpower.ie
CollegeCribs.ie
HATCH Student
Unilodgers
isaccommodation.com
Gumtree.ie
Short-term rentals website:
Airbnb. ie
Hostelworld
UCD on-campus rental resources:
AccommodationPad
Ucdsu. ie
Unison. ie
Dublin’s Super-detailed Rental Process
Step 1: Determine the Rental Area
Rental prices vary significantly from region to region, and Dublin is Ireland’s most expensive place to rent. Dublin is the capital and largest city in Ireland, as well as Ireland’s economic, political, cultural, tourism, and transport centres. Dublin, for example, Dublin is divided into a total of 22 districts: the city centre in the vicinity of the River Liffey, the river as the dividing line between the north and the south, the north singular named, and the south even named. Generally speaking, the north side is cheaper than the south, but the north side is relatively chaotic. The south side is an affluent neighbourhood and relatively safe.
The most important thing is the location; see the price of the right house first. Google Maps search to see whether there is convenient traffic from the school.
Step 2: Find an Apartment According to Your Budget
After choosing an area, look for housing within your budget. First, through appropriate channels to find suitable housing, everyone has different needs for rental housing; you can, according to their own needs and budget, combined with the market situation, determine the type of room and type of household they want to live in. If you wish to share a room or rent alone, you can rent a separate kitchen, bedroom, and sanitary towel in one space.
It is important to note that some rents are weekly and some every month. Therefore, when you see a cheap apartment, you must figure out how much the rent will be in a year. Usually, the weekly rent is much higher than the monthly rent.
Step 3: Viewing
After you have shortlisted a few suitable properties, you can contact the landlord or agent to go and see the properties. You can choose more than one or take a look on the spot to make a comparison. You need to check and confirm the property during the viewing:
Confirm that the landlord is the actual owner of the property or the agent has the authorisation to rent out the house
Is the heating controlled by yourself or on a uniform timer?
Is there Wi-Fi in the house, and can I install it myself?
Are the drains clear, and is there any damage to doors, taps, lights, shower heads, etc?
Are there smoke alarms and first aid kits?
What is the energy consumption level of the house? Water is free in Ireland, but electricity is expensive. Try to choose a property with a C rating or above. If the energy consumption is too high, it will increase the cost of living.
Look at the size of the beds, which are usually used in foreign countries to distinguish between super king, king, double, and so on.
What is included in the bill? How do you pay for the part that is not included?
What items can be used, and how many people can use them?
What behaviours are prohibited during the rental period?
You also need to pay attention to whether the local community is safe, especially at night, how far the nearest transport facility is, whether there is a supermarket nearby, etc. You can ask the landlord or agent these questions or ask your neighbours. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you don’t speak the language well or are too embarrassed to ask. It’s better than living in a house and then regretting it.
Step 4: Sign the Contract
Prepare your documents:
In the process of renting, you need to show the landlord (agent) that you want to rent the other property and have the ability to pay the rent. So please prepare the following information and submit it to the other party at any time during the viewing or communication process, which is very powerful in getting the favourite house.
- Proof of identity – passport
- Proof of income
- References from current employers (if any)
- References from previous landlords (if any)
The information is vetted for the landlord (agent) to ensure the tenant pays the rent on time as promised. So they may ask for additional information or data. So we should cooperate as much as reasonably possible to provide it.
After you have booked your room, I am sure you will be eager to move in, but you can’t be too hasty, so signing the contract is also significant. For international students who have just left home, this contract may be the first legal document you sign in Ireland. So be sure to read it carefully before you sign it.
Notes on signing the contract:
The duration of the tenancy contract and how the rent is to be paid.
The obligations and rights of both parties to the tenancy, such as who is responsible for the maintenance of the facilities in the house and which areas of the home cannot be changed by the tenant;
Where to keep the tenant’s deposit, how to return it, and the conditions.
Whether the rent includes rubbish, electricity, water, gas, internet, telephone, TV licence, or other hidden charges.
What items are included in the rent?
Take a picture of the room and the house. So you can use it as proof if there is a dispute in the future.
Step 5: Pay the Deposit and Rent
Generally, you need to pay one month’s rent as a deposit. If you can move in immediately after signing the contract, you can pay the first month’s rent together. Otherwise, you can pay half of the rent as a deposit first and the rest when you move in, or you can pay the deposit first and then pay the month’s rent when you move in. Always ask for a receipt for the deposit. Rent is usually paid in advance and transferred to a designated account at the end of the month.
Step 6: Moving in
After everything is signed, you can get the keys, which means that your long road of renting a house is also considered to have ended. The following is to choose a good day to move in.
Things to Consider
Don’t be in a hurry when renting an apartment. You can find a short-term rental on airbnb and settle down, then choose a suitable long-term rental.
Whether you live in a student house, an off-campus rental or a homestay, students are advised to take care of their valuables and protect their property.
If you choose to live off-campus, it is best not to travel more than 2 kilometres. Choose carefully if it is more than 5 kilometres; it is unsafe.
Renting a house by the sea, especially on the ground floor, is prudent, as living there in winter will be freezing and chilly.
The rental contract should be carefully examined to ensure everything is in order before signing.
Never transfer money without seeing the landlord in person and the actual house; usually, one hand pays and the other takes the keys.
The police recommend that you ask to see the agent’s/landlord’s ID card, driver’s licence, etc. And take photos to avoid falling into the “fake landlord” trap.
Ensure the rent includes heating, electricity and rubbish fees, and check the house’s infrastructure to see if appliances are working correctly.
If you live in a student dormitory, you must follow the guidelines. Chinese students usually like to cook for themselves, so be careful not to set off the smoke alarms, which may lead to fire trucks in severe cases.
Suppose you encounter any problems with the facilities or need to move out during your stay. In that case, you communicate with the landlord in the first instance so both parties have enough time to coordinate and solve the problem.
When choosing housing, if you already have a roommate, you can learn about the roommate’s living habits and avoid other people’s bad habits from affecting you.
Pay attention to the size of the room and each unique area. Ask which items are for everyday use and how many people share them.
Ask what is allowed and what is not. For example, some flats do not allow cooking and stir-frying, so see if you can live with that.
No one in Ireland has any right to enter a flat without the occupant’s permission unless they are a government agent with a search warrant, so if anyone offers to enter your flat or room, they must have your permission (including the landlord).
FAQ
Does the Rent Include Utilities?
Generally, the rent of a whole property does not include utility bills. Tenants need to set up their accounts to pay various bills, which is a handy proof of address for new arrivals in Ireland and is more flexible and convenient to manage on your own. If you don’t want to open your account, you can negotiate with your landlord to manage your account on your behalf, providing monthly bills that we can pay on time.
If you are sharing a room, you need to ask if any extra charges are included in the rent, what they are, and if there are any additional conditions, etc. The clearer you ask, the better.
What is the Typical Length of the Lease?
The landlord usually indicates the expected minimum lease term, which we can see from the property information. It is expected to sign a yearly lease, but it is essential to discuss the lease in advance. For example, what would happen if I didn’t live in the flat for the entire term? How long do I have to tell the landlord before I move out? (In Ireland, it’s usually 28 days or one month. Again, if the landlord asks the tenant to move out during the contract period, they must allow 90 days’ notice). It is also essential to discuss how the deposit will be refunded in different circumstances to avoid future disputes.
How Do I Pay My Rent?
In Ireland, rent is paid monthly in advance, and a deposit of one or two months is required. So it is important to remember this!
Who Should I Turn to if I Have a Dispute with My Landlord?
Of course, you need to communicate with your landlord first. After all, you will probably continue to work together in the future. Still, suppose you can’t communicate with them. In that case, you can contact Threshold (Ireland’s national housing organisation) or RTB (Private Residential Tenancies Board), which will provide dispute resolution services for landlords and tenants.
How Much Does Rent a Flat in Ireland Cost?
According to the RTB website, the current ranking is:
First place: Dublin (Dublin) The rent level for new tenants is €1,910 monthly.
Second place: Cork, where the standardised average rent for new tenants is €1,392 monthly.
Third place: Galway City at €1,293 per month.
Fourth place: Limerick city (Limerick) is 1270 euros per month.
Fifth: Waterford city has the lowest standardised rent for new tenants at €1,055 per month.
