New law set to prevent student accommodation providers from charging year-round leases

The Government has said it is committed to ensuring student accommodation leases are confined to the academic year following recent incidents of private providers charging students rent through 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 reported 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.