Auctioneer refuses to deal with students

Paul Neilan

A leading local auctioneer, after years of being the go-to man for student accommodation, says he can no longer deal with them because of the problems associated with nuisance tenants.
Cavan-based auctioneer Don Crotty says the level of “vandalism was astonishing” and that landlords are so fed up that they would rather see their properties vacant than rent to students.
“I hate to be the big bad wolf here but I just can’t deal with them any more,” he said.
“In a building I rented to students, the fire alarm, a button-push, was set off thirty-seven nights in a row - night after night, just out of badness they would press the fire alarm, it’s good for nobody, neighbouring tenants, students who have to study, gardaí, landlords - and I know that because I was called out to deal with it and so were the gardaí, who are fed up and don’t have time to deal with chasing around town on a Sunday or Tuesday night.”

‘Moral obligation’
Mr Crotty says he has “reluctantly” taken the decision to no longer deal with student rentals.
He claims that Cavan Institute has a “moral obligation” to ensure that their students act more responsibly.
The Institute reject his assertions, insisting they do all they can, considering they are not a party to the lease agreement.
“Historically, they are a short-term rental anyway, with courses going for only eight months of the year,” Mr Crotty continued.
“In some cases you might have a student fail at Christmas and not come back at all, just disappear, and then the landlord is left in the wind.
“I mean, in some cases the level of vandalism is astonishing.
“This notion of washing your hands of the students in your own institute come five o’clock is a problem.
“There might have been areas around Drumalee or Cathedral Road where there was all sorts of carry-on at night time and people were simply fed up of it and they will be until there is a committee set up to deal with it, because they can’t just turn a blind eye to it.
“People just don’t have the money for the repairs or to hire a security firm to deal with the problem so they would prefer the property empty than risk renting to students. It’s just no longer feasible.”

‘Responsibility’
As far as he is aware, he says, no specialist in renting to students has filled the breach and is convinced the institute want “nothing to do with it” - which the institute says is a matter for private landlords and tenants.
“I’ve approached the institute before [which is denied by institute director Ann Marie Lacey], I take no pleasure in saying it, I’m very much ‘pro’ renting to students but the institution has a responsibility to the community to make sure the behaviour of the students is responsible.
An empty college, if they can’t find accommodation is not good for the community or the college.
“I have contacted the institute but nobody wants to know [about setting up a committee] but they must be answerable about what is actually happening... you wouldn’t get this in Athlone or Dundalk colleges.”

‘Excellent relations’
Ms Lacey sought to clarify matters, after a query sent from this paper on the matter.
“I would like to state that at no time, to my knowledge, has Mr Crotty contacted the college regarding this matter.
“Cavan Institute has a long tradition of excellent relations with the gardai in Cavan, in fact we initiated a college care programme in cooperation with the gardai a number of years ago which still exists, dealing with issues of concern to students both inside and outside college contact time.
“When dealing with accommodation matters, as a college, we must exercise due diligence in recognising the accommodation contract is strictly between the landlord and tenant and is legally outside the remit of the college.
“In relation to the colleges’ interest in matters relating to accommodation services for students, we have had initial discussions with experienced third level accommodation providers in relation to the provision of an enhanced student accommodation service for students at Cavan Institute,” she said.