Renting Your Own Accommodation

As Cork City is a university city with two of the biggest campuses being University College Cork (UCC) and Cork Institute of Technology (CIT),many international English language students along with third level Irish students reside in various areas around Cork English Academy (which is close to UCC) and the city centre.

The most popular areas for renting in the city include properties along College Road, Western Road, as well as The Lough.

Some popular areas for renting a short bus ride outside the city are Ballinlough, Ballintemple, Ballyphehane, Bishopstown, Blackpool, Gurranabraher, Knocknaheeny, Model Farm Road, Mayfield, Montenotte, Shanakiel, St Lukes, Sundays Well, Togher, Turners Cross and Wilton.

Here are some useful tips for students renting accommodation in Cork:

  1. Be sure that your accommodation is convenient to the school, shops etc – it’s handy when you need to run to your 9am English lesson!
  2. Make sure the living area is big enough for the amount of people living in the house.
  3. Check appliances, cookers, vacuums, showers etc to see that they work.
  4. Check for damp and mould – a cold/damp house in August will be an expensive freezer in December!
  5. Ask for the energy rating of the house (BER cert) – the higher the number the cheaper the house will be to heat.
  6. Check locks on windows and doors.
  7. Do some research on whether you want to live in a house, digs or an apartment complex. There are pros and cons to each one.
  8. Ensure there’s an inventory of all utensils and equipment in the house kept by both you and the landlord.
  9. Take photos of all the rooms and the exterior when you move in, make sure they’re dated and e-mail them to the landlord. Keep the photos in case of disputes arising when you’re claiming back your deposit.
  10. Don’t sign a lease unless you’ve read it and understood all of it – bring it to the reception in school if you have any questions.
  11. Check if there’s a fire alarm and fire safety devices – your landlord is obliged to provide these.
  12. You will usually be asked for a deposit and a month’s rent up front. The deposit is usually the same amount as a month’s rent.
  13. Remember to keep a record of any money that is handed over and record all transactions.