Ireland Takes Bold Step: Bans 51-Week Student Leases

Highlights:

• Ireland’s new policy bans 51-week leases for student accommodation.
• The move aims to address the shortage of affordable housing for students.
• The government passed an act through parliament on July 12.

In a decisive move to reduce the student housing crisis, Ireland has implemented a ban on 51-week leases for student accommodation, effective from July 2024. The new regulation, announced by the Department of Housing, aims to make student accommodation more affordable and accessible.

The Residential Tenancies Act was passed on July 12, ensuring that leases will be based on a 41-week academic year, six weeks longer than the typical 35-week academic year from September to May.

This new policy mandates that landlords offer leases that correspond with the academic calendar, typically ranging between 40 to 42 weeks. The initiative is designed to provide students with more affordable housing options and ease the burden of high rent prices, particularly in university towns and cities across the country.

“In early 2024, several large operators of student accommodation providers announced they will offer only 51-week leases for the upcoming academic year,” a spokesperson for the department of further and higher education quoted. 

“This means students would be paying for accommodation during the summer months, which translates to over 25% more for their accommodation compared to this academic year … the idea that they would be forced to pay for student accommodation over that vacation period was unacceptable to this government,” they added.

The ban on 51-week leases marks a significant shift in Ireland’s approach to student accommodation. By aligning lease terms with the academic year, the policy is set to provide substantial financial relief for students and address long-standing issues in the housing market. As the academic year progresses, the full impact of this change will become clearer, but the initial response has been overwhelmingly positive from both students and advocacy groups.