I can guarantee first-years arriving in college one thing without fear of contradiction: the housing crisis is not going to be solved in the next two weeks.

Which means that the race to find student accommodation is going to be pretty intense. Well, fear not! I’ve compiled a User’s Guide to Housing, or UGH for short (I know: that’s a noise you’re well used to making at this stage).

The first challenge arises long before any viewings can be arranged. The current drought in available properties has turned even finding a place to look at into hard work. In Galway, for example, there are countless more properties available on Airbnb than on Daft – so while it’s no harm to have a look, you might be better to try alternative methods of scouting.

One of the most reliable approaches is to ask around. The realisation, which happens all the time in Ireland, that ‘everybody knows everybody’ usually leads to a bad case of paranoia after a night out, so on the rare occasions where it’s potentially advantageous, you might as well use it. If the personal approach yields nothing, asking on social media can be a great way to find a potential landlord. But be wary: these are uncharted (and unregulated) waters.

There are plenty of scammers on social media who will pose as landlords, before running off into the sunset with your deposit. If a landlord won’t answer any questions, or let you view the property first, consider it a massive red flag.

So, to be absolutely clear: unless you’ve smelt the slightly musty rooms, felt the paint-covered light switches and stood on the kitchen’s sticky floor, and said you’ll take it anyway, a landlord has no right to demand any money from you. If you’re suspicious, check the property’s Private Rented Sector (PRS) cert on the Residential Tenancies Board site, to find out more about a property. While it’s less fun than a stakeout, it’s far more practical.

Finally, stop watching law dramas and get some experience of it for yourself. The phrase ‘I know my rights’ wasn’t coined just for people getting thrown out of nightclubs – it is a vital concept for any student who’s looking for somewhere to live.

Knowing your rights is the renting equivalent of cracking your knuckles to show you mean business, and that you don’t even care about the risk of arthritis. Common landlord violations include entering the property without your permission; or raising the rent without 90 days’ notice – so you can tell ‘em what to do in either instance. A full list of your rights (and responsibilities) can be found on the Citizen’s information Website, while organisations like CATU and Threshold are also there to help.

For students in Ireland, finding somewhere to live is no fun. But if you go at it with real determination, you’ve a better chance of landing the catch. Good luck.

Read the full Student Special in the current issue of Hot Press – out now: