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Finding a suitable place to live once you arrive in Ireland is one of the most important first steps to getting settled. Initially, you should consider staying in short term accommodation for a month or two to give yourself time to settle in to your new job and to familiarise yourself with the local area. Then, once you find the area that you would prefer to live in, start searching for a suitable property.

The steps to finding rental accommodation in Ireland:

The essential guide to finding the perfect rental property in #Ireland #moveabroad

Step 1: How Much Rent Can You Afford?

Deposit: You will need to pay a deposit up front – usually the equivalent of one month’s rent, but may be two.

Rent: The rent is usually paid on a monthly basis and you will also be required to pay your first months rent up front. So make sure you have enough cash available.

Utilities: It is typically the tenant’s responsibility to pay for utilities, so ensure that you include this when working out your budget and deciding how much you can afford to pay in rent. Those living in flats may pay a fixed amount for some of the utilities each month, but in others you may have to arrange and pay for them yourself.

Typical utilities you can expect to pay in Ireland:

The essential guide to finding the perfect rental property in #Ireland #moveabroad
How much rent can I afford?

Step 2: What Do You Want from Your Rented Accommodation?

You should make a list of the ‘must haves’ that you want from your property like e.g. a bath, a dishwasher etc…. We all have different needs, but I’ve developed a Property Checklist to get you started. I’ve also put together a list of what to expect from a rental property in Ireland.

Step 3: Where Is Your Preferred Area?

The only way to find your favourite (and affordable) area/s is to go and visit them and have a good walk or cycle around. What sort of bars and restaurants are available? Are there parks, gyms and supermarkets nearby? Make your own list of the type of places that you would like to live close to.

Once you have found your area/s of preference, make sure that you also visit it in the evening to see how safe they feel. Talk to the locals and find out what the area is like to live in.

Step 4: Prepare Your Paperwork

In order to apply for a rental property, there are a number of documents that you will need to provide. Prepare your paperwork in advance and have it with you when you view properties so that you can immediately lodge your application as soon an you find your favourite property.

You will need copies of the following:

  • Identification such as your drivers licence, PPSN, identity card or your passport.
  • Previous rental references
  • Work reference from your current employee
  • Evidence of your current employment and income
 Tips

  • If you are looking for accommodation in a high demand area, then carry these documents around with you to every viewing so that you can immediately lodge your application and beat the competition!

Step 5: Property Searching

Properties are usually rented out by a property manager or the owner. To view a property, follow the instructions as directed on the advert. Some agents give you an individual viewing time, so make sure that you are there on time.

Once you have viewed a few properties, you will start to get a feel for the type of properties available and what you can expect for your budget.

The best way to begin your search for a rental property is to use the following websites:

Short Term Rental Accommodation in Ireland

There are a number of websites that will help you to find a short term lease property. Here is a few of them:

Long Term Rental Accommodation in Ireland

Shared Rental Accommodation in Ireland

If you have a small budget, then have you considered sharing a room? There are a number of sites that will help you find shared accommodation:

The essential guide to finding the perfect rental property in #Ireland #moveabroad

 Tips

  • If you have pets, be aware that not all landlords will permit them.
  • Leasing agents are typically punctual, so make a good impression by attending the property viewing at the agreed time.
  • When viewing properties, discuss with the property manager what you are looking for as they may have other suitable properties available. Ask them to contact you when they have other suitable properties come onto the market.
  • In University areas, rental properties can be difficult to find in August and September because this is the start of the University year and lots of students will be looking for accommodation.

Step 6: What to Do When You’ve Found a Place You Like

If you are looking in an area with limited vacancies, once you have found a property that you like, you need to be quick. Whilst you are at the viewing, you need to clearly state your intentions of wanting to rent the property. Give them your prepared documents (see above) and make arrangements to pay the deposit (make sure you get a receipt for this). Typically you would pay your deposit in cash.

Unfortunately in areas of high demand, if the property is reasonably nice it often gets snapped up during the first viewing so you will need to be decisive. Rental selection typically works on a ‘first in first served’ basis. This means that the first suitable person to lodge their application for the property will be the one that gets it.

If you have pets that will be living with you, make sure that the landlord has agreed to it and have it specified in the lease before signing it.

 Tips

  • You are not expected to enter into a ‘bidding war’ and offer more than the advertised rent.

How Long Should I Sign the Rental Lease For?

You also need to decide how long you want to lease the property for. Most landlords require you to be contracted for a minimum stay. This can be anywhere from one month to one year. If you do not know how long you are staying, consider negotiating a short minimum stay so that you are not tied into a contract for too long in case your circumstances change. Sometimes relocation’s don’t go to plan and its best that you consider this before signing up for a long lease, otherwise, breaking your lease could end in you losing your deposit.

If you are planning on buying your own home, consider renting for at least six months to give you time to establish your preferred areas and also a chance to suss out the property market.

The essential guide to finding the perfect rental property in #Ireland #moveabroad

Rental Disputes

Ireland has a Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) which resolves disputes between landlords and tenants and also operates the National Tenancy Registration System. All landlords must register their tenancies with the PRTB. Once registered, you will receive a letter in the mail with a unique identifying number. You need to keep this number safe as you will need it if you ever need to deal with the PRTB. Their website also contains lots of useful information as well as details about your rights, responsibilities, and obligations as a tenant.

 Tips

  • In Ireland rentals are commonly referred to as ‘lettings’, so property agents are usually called ‘Letting Agents’.
  • Learn more about tenant rights, responsibilities and obligations from the Residential Tenancies Board.

Rental Scams

There are a lot of online rental property scams and they often target those moving from overseas. After supposed satisfactory emails, tenants are asked to send money to the ‘landlord’. But when the tenants attempt to make contact with the ‘landlord’ or collect keys to the property, the ‘landlord’ is not contactable and the potential tenant has been defrauded. This scamming doesn’t just happen online, there are also scammers that will show you an apartment, take your cash up front and then never be seen or heard from again.

If booking short term accommodation online, carefully check the reviews posted from previous guests. Also, be wary of communication in broken English and anyone asking for money upfront. You should also check that the person actually works for a legitimate rental agency, and is not just pretending to be from one.