Limapad residents ignore corona rules

The Utrecht police announced on Instagram that it has been “very busy” in recent weeks, trying to reduce nuisance in the student complex at the Limapad. When, once again, they received a report of noise disturbance between Friday and Saturday, they immediately took action. A total of 35 students were locked up and fined, but some were able to escape.

“Some of the residents have thrown parties several times. They happen in the communal areas, in their rooms or outside,” reports Bob de Vilder, spokesman for real estate manager Camelot. He stresses that both Camelot and the police know who those people are. “They have already been approached about their behaviour several times, but we landlords cannot do anything else. We cooperate with the police as much as possible and await further instructions,” De Vilder explained.

Although there are cameras in the complex, Camelot is not allowed to use those images to correct the tenants behaviour because of the privacy law. To do that, they would need a warrant first. Besides, they can’t just evict tenants for disrespecting the corona rules in their homes. "We can issue warnings and possibly report the matter to the police, but that's it."

“It just doesn't get through to them. These are residents who consistently flout the rules and raise a big middle finger at us, the university and their fellow students. They know very well what the situation is, because they have already been approached about their behaviour. It's just embarrassing. You embarrass everyone with such conduct. They also wear shirts with the university’s logo, making other residents ashamed to live there. ”

The new residential complex on the Limapad consists of two flats comprising four hundred studios, with a common room per floor. It is mainly inhabited by international students and Dutch medicine students, Camelot’s spokespeople told DUB in July. All residents have a link with Utrecht University of some sort.