Accommodation at Shannon College

Common Accommodation Questions

Where do Shannon College Students usually live?

Year 1 students usually reside in Bunratty castle Gardens. The student village in Bunratty is located 11 kilometres from the college. Each student house has three bedrooms which consist of two twin en suite rooms and one twin room with an adjacent bathroom. Each house accommodates 6 students and rooms will be allocated on a lottery basis. The accommodation is fully equipped with all the necessary domestic appliances including fridge-freezer, washer-dryer, dishwasher, microwave, kettle etc.

The accommodation at Castle Gardens is managed by Rent an Irish Cottage MGMT Ltd. This is a private company that manages all aspects of the accommodation. For any queries please contact:  Aine Robertson on 00353 61 411109 or info@rentacottage.ie

If you wish to contact the college regarding accommodation you can reach out to imelda.oconnell@universityofgalway.ie 

Year 3 and year 4 BBS students often live in Bunratty West. The student village in Bunratty is located 11 kilometres from the college. Each student house has three bedrooms which consist of two double rooms with a shared bathroom and one twin room with esuite. Each house accommodates approximately 5 students and rooms are generally picked by the students themselves. The accommodation is fully equipped with all the necessary domestic appliances including fridge-freezer, washer-dryer, dishwasher, microwave, kettle etc.

Many students in year 1 living in the Clare and Limerick regions, choose to commute to college and live at home. Other students, particularly International students and students in years 3 and 4, will choose to stay in private accommodation around the Limerick and Clare areas.

How can I avoid rent fraud/scams when searching for private accommodation?

Search Smart

Studentpad is one of the most secure ways to search for private student accommodation. A landlord will never make the initial contact with you on Studentpad. Your details will only become available to the landlord/homeowner once you have contacted them directly. You should always keep the following tips below in mind while searching for accommodation on any platform, including Studentpad.

Rental fraud is an increasingly common issue, and students are a major target for scammers. International students are particularly at risk of losing money when deposits are transferred to prospective landlords without seeing a property in person. We strongly encourage all students to not transfer any money until a property has been viewed in person. Always meet a prospective landlord in person in the accommodation to be rented. Bring a friend and keep copies of all correspondence.

Your landlord does not legally have to provide a tenancy agreement, however most private tenancy prefer to have their rights and responsibilities laid out in an official document. Make sure that you understand your rental agreement and have read the document in full before signing. Ensure that you are clear on what is included in the rent, such as utility or refuse bills. Check that keys fit, doors lock and open, and the rental contract has been signed, prior to paying deposit.

If a property seems too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of properties advertised for below the average rent price, particularly when the advert boasts impressive images with insufficient information. Scammers sometimes use stolen images, so keep an eye out for generic/stock images or location-specific details such as non-Irish plug sockets that suggest the property is not located in Galway.

A legitimate landlord or letting agent will usually not:

• Reach out to students first, or insist on communicating only through text, WhatsApp or social media. 
• Tell you that they cannot show you the property in person. 
• Consistently make errors in their correspondence with you or provide inconsistent information. 
• Request a deposit or one month’s rent from you to secure accommodation without an official rental agreement. In the case of owner-occupied accommodation, the landlord does not have to provide a tenancy agreement, however it is important to agree on ground rules for the duration of your stay and you may want to put these in writing to avoid confusion later. 
• Pressure you to transfer money without providing all the relevant information. 
• Offer accommodation with no questions asked and demand immediate payment. 
• Ask you to pay via cryptocurrency or wire transfer. 

A legitimate landlord or letting agent should:

• Provide a rental agreement (private accommodation), or clearly state what is included in the rent. Please note: in owner-occupied accommodation, landlords have no obligation to provide an agreement or clear ground rules, however it is advisable to bring this up with your landlord before moving in, and to suggest putting these rules in writing to avoid confusion at a later date. 
• Make sure you have seen the premises and that the rental agreement is signed (private accommodation) before asking for a deposit. You can find more advice on avoiding rental fraud from An Garda Síochána and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission.

Document everything

Pay the deposit to the landlord only – not the person leaving the property – and make sure to pay using bank draft or transfers. Keep copies of payments receipts and any correspondence. Obtain a legitimate receipt in writing for any payment you make.

When you are meeting a prospective landlord in the accommodation, ask to see an official photo ID from the landlord/letting agent (passport or driving license), and take a photo of this document.

Know your rights

Do not hand over any money if you are unhappy with the condition of the property.

Make a list of furniture and appliances with the landlord. If there are any outstanding repairs, ask the landlord to state in writing that they will be repaired – take photos and make sure to save them in a secure space. You can learn more about safely searching for accommodation from the Residential Tenancies Board, An Garda Síochána and Threshold.ie.

To learn more about your rights as a tenant in private accommodation or owner-occupied accommodation, click here.

When should you start searching for accommodation?​

Incoming year 1 students who receive a place in Shannon College of Hotel Management will be automatically allocated accommodation. If you are a student from any region who does not require accommodation, we kindly ask that you also notify us at your earliest convenience. This will assist us in allocating available places more efficiently.

Clare/Limerick Students: If you reside in the Clare or Limerick areas, please note that you are required to inform the College whether or not you wish to be considered for student accommodation. As students from these areas have typically lived at home in previous years, on-campus accommodation is not automatically allocated. Please note, student accommodation is limited and cannot be guaranteed. To confirm your accommodation preference—whether you do or do not require accommodation—please email Ms. Imelda O’Connell at imelda.oconnell@universityofgalway.ie as soon as possible

Can I hear from other students who have found accommodation?

​If you wish to speak with one of our student ambassadors you can reach out to us directly at edaly@universityofgalway.ie 

I am an international student. Can I book accommodation from my home country?​

If you are an international student arriving on an Undergraduate programme, you will automatically be assigned a house in our student accommodation unless you do not require accommodation. Please inform Ms Imelda O'Connell if you are seeking our own private accommodation. imelda.oconnell@universityofgalway.ie

If you are joining us on a MSc ​programme, you can reach out to our programme director Ms. Loraine Kavanagh. loraine.kavanagh@universityofgalway.ie

You can book short term accommdoation lets in advance of arriving in Ireland, however we would encourage you to arrange an in person viewing of the property once you have arrived before making any payments.

You can ​find some short term letting options on the below sites 

Airbnb

Booking.com

Cozy Cozy

Rent.ie

There are also plenty of hostels, b&bs and hotels in the Limerick, Shannon, Bunratty, and Ennis regions..

Any tips on being a good housemate?

1. Remember to adhere to HSE guidelines on Covid-19 at all times to ensure that the university and wider community stay safe and well.
2. Be clear from the start: agree rotas for cleaning and agree on a guest policy.
3. Ask before borrowing your housemate’s stuff.
4. Address small issues in a respectful way before they become bigger.
5. Shared spaces are shared by all. Don’t leave your stuff hanging around.
6. Be friendly, without expecting to be automatically best friends.
7. Trying new things is a great way to meet people.
8. Treat your roommate how you would want to be treated. In other words, show respect! 
9. Download the OurHome app: a great way to manage tasks and grocery lists among your housemates. Available for iOS, Android & Webapp.