Emergency measures to help students in the face of the accommodation crisis may leave them open to exploitation.
That's the fear raised by the Students' Union President of the Technological University of the Shannon in relation to the room to rent scheme.
The measure allows property owners to rent a room in their home to students, with the proceeds tax-free up to a certain amount.
Student bodies are raising concerns that students taking part in this scheme have little to no legal protection as the renters are not registered landlords.
Speaking to the Joe Finnegan Show this morning, TUS Student's Union President Niall Naughten says that while the emergency measure is welcome, they'll be keeping a close eye on it:
"This is the thing, it's a mad panic but we are trying our best from the SU side of things in the University to support parents and make sure they know about room to rent relief scheme and the promotion of that.
That's only a temporary solution, the protection isn’t there for students for going into those type of accommodation, that protection isn’t there so we are worried in that sense, we are welcoming the encouragement of it but at the same time, it is a worry because the protection isn't there."
