Every tenancy agreement is protected by the Private Residential Tenancies Act 2004. A copy of your rights and obligations under this Act is available upon request. In addition to statutory conditions, every landlord that advertises through UCC Accommodation Office agrees to certain conditions and these include the following: Reasonable rent:

1. Landlords may not insist on charging rent in two instalments. Rent can be collected monthly or weekly. We recommend direct transfer into a bank account as the most secure option.

2. No landlord may charge in excess of €90 p/w, except in the case of Grade A housing. 3. Grade A houses are those that have been inspected by the UCC Accommodation Officer staff

and where it has been determined that the property is of a suitable standard to be regarded as such. These properties are advertised accordingly.

4. The landlord shall not be entitled to charge a tenant an amount in excess of the figure advertised through the UCC Accommodation Office.

5. Should a landlord seek to breach any of these guidelines, please alert our staff at the Accommodation Office and we will take remedial action.

Deposits

1. A landlord is entitled to ask for up to two months deposit in advance. 2. This deposit shall be retuned at the end of the tenancy within a reasonable period of the

cessation of the tenancy. A period of 28 days shall be regarded as reasonable in these circumstances.

Utilities

1. All utility costs, with the exception of electricity and heating, shall be included in the weekly rent. If broadband and internet access is provided, then this is subsumed within the rent charges and may not be charged separately.

2. In respect of the television licence, should a landlord provide a television for the property, the landlord is responsible for obtaining a television licence. However, should the tenants provide the television, the responsibility rests with them.

3. In respect of refuse charges, annual or semi-annual payments due shall be included in the rent charged and it shall be the responsibility of the landlord. However where a charge arises in respect of individual bin tags, this may be the responsibility of the tenants.

4. We recommend that utility bills (heat and electricity) are retained in the name of the landlord and that the landlord charge each tenant a once-off utility deposit (usually €300) to cover the costs. Any unused portion of these monies being returned to the tenant at the end of the tenancy. If utility usage is higher than this amount, the difference will be paid to the landlord.

5. The landlord is responsible for furnishing the tenants with copies of bills relating to utility usage.

Problems

1. Should you have a complaint about your landlord or accommodation, you are welcome to visit and speak with the UCC Accommodation Officer. We provide a free housing advice service throughout the year.

2. Should the query be of a serious nature, you may also wish to refer the matter to the Private Residential Tenancies Board for an Adjudication/Mediation at a cost of €25 per case. Further inform can be found at www.prtb.ie

INFORMATION FOR TENANTS

Maura O Neill UCC Accommodation Officer

June 2010

Don’t Lose Your Money – Getting Back Your Deposit:

1. Only hand over money when you are satisfied with the accommodation. Always get a receipt for the deposit.

2. Your landlord must give you a list of all furnishings and appliances supplied. It is most

important that you check on their condition and note any damage on the inventory at the start of the tenancy. Get the landlord to sign and date this adjusted inventory.

3. Take photographs of every room including any damaged items when you move in, preferably with a camera that dates each photo.

4. Check the meter readings for electricity, gas and check oil levels immediately on moving in.

Write them into the rent book and get your landlord to sign and date them. This will avoid disputes later.

5. If your landlord fails to return your money or makes unfair deductions contact the Accommodation Office at asa@ucc.ie or tel: 021 4902353.

Your Checklist: Rented Accommodation has to have:

Fridge Freezer Washing machine Tumble dryer Four ring hob, oven and grill Cooker vent to external air Mains wired smoke alarm Fire blanket No damp or mould Humidity controlled extractor fan in bathroom Fully functional window in each room A current ETCI Periodic inspection report (electricity) Current declaration of Conformance for an IS 813 (gas) Adequate refuse storage/bins given the number of tenants in the property BER rating (energy efficiency)

Additional conditions for properties advertised by the Accommodation Office:

Study desk, chair and lamp in each bedroom Each bedroom with enough space to study comfortably in At least one bathroom for every four students A maximum rent of €90 per week except for grade A houses Good mattresses Full details of minimum standards and good practice guidelines set by the Accommodation Office for all properties we advertise are available on our website.

We recommend:

Separate sitting room

Dishwasher

Broadband internet access

Additional Information For further information on your rights check:

www.ucc.ie/accommodation

www.threshold.ie

www.prtb.ie

Accommodation, Student Activities & Conferencing Office, UCC

Tel: 021-4902475/ 021-4902353 Email: asa@ucc.ie

Web: www.ucc.ie/accommodation