ONE IN 20 female respondents to a survey of international students said they have experienced instances of leasers trying to extort sex in exchange for providing a bed.

Exorbitant rent costs, scams and being expected to share a bed with a stranger are among the challenges facing international students trying to find accommodation in Ireland, according to a report published by the Irish Council for International Students (ICOS).

5% of female students who took part in the survey said they have either received an offer to rent a room in Ireland in exchange for sex or had seen a room that was being advertised in exchange for sex.

Additionally, 14% of all respondents said accommodation that they were offered meant they were expected to share a room with and sleep in the same bed as a stranger.

“The owner (who has a studio in the house) asked after five days if I wanted to have sex with him,” said an Erasmus student from France.

“The house is mouldy, old and messy. My bedroom is tiny and things need to be fixed. There is just one bathroom with a toilet inside for seven people. The kitchen is also way too small for seven. It is cold in the house. The owner doesn’t like to spend money to repair or renew,” they said. 

The ICOS surveyed 512 international students studying in Ireland. Half of the respondents were studying at an English language school, 46% were in higher education and 4% did not specify. 

More than half (54%) agreed or strongly agreed that their mental health has been impacted due to the housing crisis in Ireland, while 56% said their student experience has suffered and 41% said their education has suffered. 

More than 10% said that they had been a victim of an accommodation scam while in Ireland. 

Among those who are working while studying, 61% said that half of their monthly salary goes towards paying their rent. One in five who worked said they spend 70% of their income on rent.

Three out of four English language students and a third of students studying in higher education share a room with at least one other person.

Less than a quarter of respondents said they were aware of their rights as renters and 38% do not have a lease agreement for their accommodation. 

“What’s the point of being aware of the rights if it’s really a choice to accept whatever is given or be homeless?” a female student from Poland commented.

A female English language student from Brazil said: “The least that a person expects when they arrive here is to have a decent place to sleep and privacy, but in Ireland that’s impossible. Is this what a first world country looks like? My experience here has been badly affected by the housing situation.”

A German Erasmus student said they had to live in a car for four weeks because of the lack of accommodation available.

The ICOS is presenting its findings today to politicians at Leinster House.

In a statement, ICOS executive director Laura Harmon said the research “exposes the alarming realities that international students in Ireland are struggling with to find safe, affordable and minimum-standard accommodation”.

“The extent of financial strain and overcrowding is deeply concerning,” Harmon said.

“Urgent action is needed to address these issues, in particular sex-for-rent exploitation, to ensure that Ireland remains a welcoming and supportive destination for international students.”