Top tips to find the best student accommodation in Cork

Set in a quaint place, Cork is alive with creative and young energy. The city is a modern metropolis that offers artisan coffee bars, an amazing art scene, living music, and much more. Finding a place to stay during the academic program is perhaps the first priority after you get an acceptance letter for your course. If you are studying in Cork, then this article will help you to find the best student accommodation Cork.

Housing Options

There is a wide range of accommodation options available for the students including university-owned campus, private-owned campus, digs, and private rent.  

Types of accommodation: 

There are different ways to categorize private accommodation, including: 

• Owner-occupied or non-owner occupied 
• En-suite room vs non-en-suite room 
• Bills included vs bills excluded 

It is always advisable to rent a house that is non-owner occupied with bills included. It is better to have an en-suite room, but if you can rent a house with two bedrooms with one shared bathroom, then also it’s good to go. 

Renting season: 

The earlier you begin your search, it is easy to get a house. The start of May is a decent time as this is the end of the academic year and numerous students are going home for their summer break. The house prices are generally cheaper in the month of summer. Near the end of the first semester is also a good time as exchange students return to their countries then, so there are a number of vacancies. If you want to move to another house, you need to start looking somewhere in November, December, and January.

Rental criteria: 

In my opinion, these things should be on your list including a budget, location, number of tenants, house condition, etc. These pointers are important when it comes to choosing accommodation. Laundry is another option that you should look for. Find a place nearby or in the accommodation so that you don’t have to panic about washing your clothes every time.

Budget: 

Housing accommodation in Cork is quite expensive as the demand is always higher than the supply, so the general rules here include: 

• The closer to the university or to the city center, the more expensive it is
• If you look for a modern facility, the budget will definitely increase 
• The more tenants, you get a better deal 

Location: 

As mentioned earlier, location plays an important role. For an instance, a student study hall that is within 1 km walking distance from the main campus will cost you more, than choosing a housing option within a 10 km radius. However, it is not always necessary to find a house close to the main campus if you are a UCC student as not all students will study their program first before starting to find a house. when you have the address of the campus where you will study, search for the main bus routes that go by these buildings as the bus is the only public transportation option in Cork for traveling from home to the university. 

The number of tenants: 

Though the rent will be of course cheaper if you have more number of tenants in your room, it gets more complicated particularly if you rent a house with more than five people. You should always go with a shared house but try to keep your room separate. 

House conditions: 

Typically, the houses in Cork are quite old, so it is always better to have a look at the houses to understand their condition. Ask your house owner to send the video of the rooms before accepting the offer. Some of the essential things, which need to be on your checklist, include: 

Heating system:

Everyone loves to take a hot shower after a tiring day. Ensure that the room has a heating system. In addition to it, make sure they have a gas heating system as it is cheaper compared to an electric heating system. 

Kitchen: 

You definitely need a kitchen when you are living in a shared apartment. The kitchen should be well-equipped with a microwave, fridge, cooker, kettle, and fire alarm. Make sure the kitchen is also equipped with some come utensils so that you don’t have to carry everything from your home. 

Laundry: 

Laundry is quite important. There should e a washing machine and dryer where you can wash your clothes easily and get your clothes dry in time as well. The weather in Cork is rainy and humid so it takes a long time to dry your clothes by hanging them easily. 

Bathroom: make sure that the bathroom is clean. There should be a mirror, a rack, and other utility stuff. 

Television:

There should be a television too in the common area so that you can enjoy watching serials with ease. Also, ensure that the TV license is free too. 

These are some of the top choices to go with. While choosing accommodation you need to keep in mind several things. So, do your research well and find the right accommodation as per your budget and preference.