There is good news for students beginning or returning to their studies in Athlone this September; a new report has revealed that Athlone offers the fourth cheapest student rent in the country.
According to the Daft Rental Report for the second quarter of 2011, the average rent price per month for a single bedroom in Athlone is €219 and a double room €259.
The report also reveals that rents have fallen in the town, with the price of a single room having dropped by 1.8 per cent on the previous year.
The cheapest student rents can be found in Letterkenny, Tralee, and Castlebar, where students can expect to pay an average of €173, €175, and €208 respectively for a single bedroom.
Dublin City Centre is the most expensive place to rent, where a double room will set you back €485 per month.
The Union of Students in Ireland is calling on Minister for the Environment Phil Hogan to establish a Deposit Protection Scheme, which will protect students from being ripped off by unscrupulous landlords.
USI president, Gary Redmond, said: “Some landlords exploit students by retaining their deposits. On average, students will pay at least €3,500 on rent over the academic year and will also have to hand over a large deposit. With students and their families already struggling to afford the basic costs of attending college this situation cannot be allowed to continue.”
