'I'm 30 and facing eviction. If I can't find a place to rent I'll have to move back with my parents'
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Nothing could have prepared Andrew Kennedy for the sense of dread and uncertainty he felt after receiving a notice to quit the home he shares on Cork’s northside.
The 30-year-old is facing a May eviction date and he is struggling to find alternative accommodation, with a string of disheartening viewings and lack of available properties on Daft.ie.
If unable to source a new house share, Andrew may have to give up the life in Cork he has worked so hard for and move back home with his parents in Limerick. It’s not a outcome the IT professional likes to dwell on.
“I can’t let it affect me,” Andrew told the . “However, if I still have nowhere in the next few weeks I will really start to panic.”
Originally from Limerick, Andrew says living in Cork presents more opportunities for him.
“At this stage I feel like it’s not going to happen,” he said of finding a new home.
“Sometimes, I wonder what's the point in living in this country. I’m constantly checking the internet and 99% of the people who make contact are scam artists.”
He recalls what it is like trying to source other accommodation.
“Any viewings I’ve been to have had loads of other people interested. I have heard back from one or two thanking me for my time. It’s very stressful at the moment.
"I grew up in a quiet place in the countryside where there isn’t a lot going on. It would mean a loss of opportunities.
"The reason I moved here was to create a bit of a life for myself. When I first moved down here, rent was cheaper. There was a lot more availability. Now, all we’re doing is clutching at straws.”
Hidden terms and conditions are also creating difficulties for house hunters, including Andrew.
“I have been looking at house shares but rooms are being snapped up. Some of them are only 'Monday to Friday' rentals yet they still come in at a cost of €800 a month.
"I often work weekends so I wouldn’t be able to agree to something like this. To be honest, I think that asking a tenant to move out every weekend should be made illegal.”
He wants the Government to take action to solve the crisis.
“It’s more frustrating really because Government policies are a joke. My main goal is to eventually buy, but the prices are insane so this could take another while.
"The only way out of this is to build more social housing but this is going to take time since the cost of materials has gone through the roof.
"I’ve been to Italy and Spain where they have lots of apartments. It makes me think about why the same can’t be done here.”
Andrew said he was doing his best to stay positive and proactive. “It makes me angry but I am not the only one. There are other people in my shoes.”