- UCD will honour all existing rental agreements and extend any that are necessary.
- Students who cancel their rental agreements will receive a rental rebate.
- Off-campus students may apply for on-campus accommodation if displaced by COVID-19.
In an email sent to all UCD students, Deputy President and Registrar, Professor Mark Rogers, laid out an eight-point policy regarding on-campus student accommodation during the Covid-19 outbreak.
UCD announced that they will honour the existing rental agreements for all students who would like to remain in their on-campus accommodation. The university will continue to support these students.
Additionally, the university announced that rental agreements will be extended should travel restrictions be put into place which would stop students from returning to their homes at the end of the rental period. Should current renters wish to give up their existing rental agreements they will be able to do so. Any student who does not avail of the full length of their rental term shall receive a “pro-rata” rebate starting one week after their departure from residences. Residents, however, may be asked to move into different rooms on campus “to facilitate the best management of the residences”.
UCD Residences will also be made available for students who may be displaced as a result of COVID-19: “Students who are well and living in rented accommodation off campus who face housing problems because of COVID-19 eg if a landlord requires the property, may now apply for on-campus accommodation.”
Current residents who have been advised to self-isolate will be moved into “specific housing” on-campus which will allow for them to receive additional support from the university. Finally, any residents of UCD who become unwell with symptoms in line with those of COVID-19 are being advised to contact UCD Student Health Service who will refer students to the HSE’s outbreak testing service “if necessary”.
The Taoiseach Leo Varadkar announced on March 12th that schools and colleges would close until March 29th, in order to combat the spread of the COVID-19 virus. UCD will move to teaching and learning online for the remainder of the academic year. The online system is due to go live for students from March 23rd.
Updates will continue over the coming weeks…
Hugh Dooley – Reporter
