Private Rentals, Digs & UCC Student Pad

Private rentals in house shares and digs (owner occupied rentals) are an important source of accommodation for students. On this page you will find useful information on how to find suitable availability as well as the difrent types of rentals, tenant information and scam information.

UCC StudentPad is an online search engine that lets you search for rooms, houses and apartments. It also details the minimum standards when looking for accommodation.

Private Rentals & House Shares

It is possible to find private rental and house-share accommodation at any time of the year. However, if you are interested in this option, we recommend starting your search early and being prepared to continue looking for several months. Availability tends to increase in April and May, so patience and persistence are key.Once advertised, they will not last long. When you find something be prepared to travel to Cork to secure it at short notice. Do not pay a deposit or rent without seeing the property. Only rent the property if you feel that it is safe, secure and affordable. 

You can find house-share listings through:

• UCC StudentPad
• UCC Accommodation Search Facebook Page
• Daft.ie

Important Advice:

Before paying a deposit, always view the property in person and ensure you feel comfortable and safe before securing the tenancy.

Digs (owner occupied rentals)

Owner-Occupied Accommodation (‘Digs’)

Owner-occupied accommodation, also known as ‘digs’, is available throughout the year. However, if you are considering this option, the best time to search is during the summer months when more listings become available. You can find digs through platforms such as:

• UCC StudentPad
• Daft.ie

 It is important to note that renting in owner occupied accommodation is a licensee arrangement and the normal tenancy rights do not apply. With that in mind, it is important that you set clearly defined terms before entering into this kind of agreement. If you find something suitable it is very important that you view it in person and meet with the homeowner before making a financial commitment.    

There are some important points to note before entering into this type of arrangement.

• Is it a 5 day rental or full week?
• Are utilities and food included in the rent?
• You should discuss details of sharing the house, access to shared spaces and facilities such as laundry and cooking, potential curfew, can you have guests over.
• Make sure that the agreement between you and the landlord is backed up by a contract, signed by both parties.
• Only sign the contract if you are happy with all the details.
• The contract should:
• Protect against any rent increases within a reasonable period, ideally a full year.
• Stipulate the terms for ending the agreement.
• Layout notice periods.

Tenant Information

It is important to be aware of the rights and responsibilities you have as a tenant. Following the link below, you will find some key facts you should be aware of when renting for the first time. Please note that these points do not apply to owner occupier rentals. The main rights and responsibilities as a tenant come from landlord and tenant law, as well as from the lease or tenancy agreement you have with your landlord.

To learn more about being a tenant and their rights/responsibilities click the button below

Scams

Before signing a lease, it is important to take time to familiarise yourself with the tenant's  

When searching for private accommodation you should be vigilant for bogus landlords.

Accommodation scams can happen at any time and you can do the following to ensure that you are not impacted by an accommodation scam:

1. Ask the landlord if they are registered with UCC StudentPad.
2. Ask for their RTB registration number. The number should be in the following format xxxx-xxxxxxxx
3. If given an RTB number, you should email registrations@rtb.ie to verify it.
4. You should always view a property prior to signing a lease or handing over money.