Housing
Introduction
You should arrange accommodation before you arrive in Ireland. Organise in advance to stay with friends or book yourself in to a hotel or a hostel in order to give yourself time to look around and get to grips with the accommodation situation in the area in which you plan to live.
Buying a house
If you are thinking of buying a house, you need to be aware of the price trends in this country, the process by which houses are bought and sold and the initial costs that are involved.
Renting accommodation
Rented accommodation comes in many forms. You can choose from houses, flats, apartments, house-shares and bed-sits, according to what suits your needs and your budget. You will need to know where and how rental properties are advertised, such as accommodation websites, accommodation sections of newspapers and advertisements in shops and colleges. It is also important to understand the rental process and what your rights and responsibilities are as a tenant.
Social housing
Local authorities are the main providers of social housing for people who cannot afford to buy their own homes. Non-Irish nationals must have a legal right to remain in the State on a long-term basis to be eligible to apply for social housing. Detailed rules are contained in Circular Housing 41/2012 Access to social housing supports for non-Irish nationals (pdf).
How to apply
Threshold is a voluntary organisation that gives information and advice to citizens about rented accommodation.