SU-2526-3
06-10-2025
Council Notes
Class Representatives (“Reps”) are often the first point of contact for students facing welfare and accommodation issues, but most Reps have no formal training or resources to provide accurate guidance.
Council Further Notes
Students frequently raise concerns about illegal deposits, withheld rent, poor living standards, and disputes with landlords, yet many do not know how to access supports such as the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) or Threshold.
Council Also Notes
The Aontas na Mac Léinn in Éirinn (AMLÉ) National Student Accommodation Survey has consistently highlighted housing rights as one of the most urgent areas of need for students, with many unaware of basic protections or complaint mechanisms.
Council Believes
Empowering Class Representatives with basic, accurate housing rights knowledge will help scale awareness across every class without additional cost, and will reduce the number of students left unsupported or misinformed.
Council Mandates
1. During the standard Class Representative training session, the SU include a short 10-minute housing rights briefing, delivered by the Welfare and Equality Officer or a representative from Threshold and RTB.
2. Class Representatives receive a one-page crib sheet containing:
- The most important student housing rights;
- Contact information for Threshold and RTB;
- A simple RTB complaint template (e.g., for deposit retention).
