By Maria van Wijnen and Milan Rooney
After facing pressure from students to fix a range of ongoing issues within the student apartment complex at Carolina Macgillavrylaan, DUWO has responded by introducing a new policy that would guarantee stable shower temperature and working elevators… at a price. This new policy, to be implemented in January 2027, includes a clause guaranteeing tenants hot water for an additional monthly fee of 150 euros. The policy will also add a paywall to the elevator to collect funds for maintenance and repairs.
Duwo has already been dealing with this litany of complaints, which include the elevators not working correctly and trapping students, or being broken for extended periods, leading to less accessible entry to the rooms for our differently abled students. To combat this, the paywall will charge students 2 euros per elevator ride. Meaning if you use the elevator twice a day (which is the minimum), this paywall would cost you 144 euros.
In the Netherlands, student housing companies are legally limited in how much they can increase rental prices each year. However, DUWO has mitigated these restrictions by posing the policy as a voluntary additional service.
In an email exchange with DUWO representatives, The Herring received a response from their PR stating: “Cold showers offer numerous health benefits, primarily by boosting alertness, enhancing circulation, and reducing muscle soreness through decreased inflammation. The cold water triggers a stress response that increases norepinephrine, potentially enhancing mental focus and immune system resilience. Additionally, they may raise metabolic rate to burn calories and tighten skin/hair follicles.” This response matches the Google AI response to the prompt “benefits of cold showers,” however, we cannot confirm whether DUWO provides automated AI-generated email responses.
DUWO and UvA are also framing the elevator paywall as promoting a healthy lifestyle. According to UvA psychologists, a student is physically active when going up and down stairs, which results in a higher degree of muscle build-up compared to taking the elevator. UvA and DUWO have refused to comment on whether introducing a paywall is ableist and will add financial stress to students with disabilities or physical challenges.
Many students would argue that hot water and elevators are necessities in student housing. One anonymous AUC student said, “I have not had hot water in two weeks and every time I shower I freeze my [redacted] off,” and claims they “keep getting sick.” Another anonymous AUC student tells The Herring, “If DUWO imposes this policy, we are planning on staging a shower strike until the smell is so strong at the AB that administration is forced to assist in pressuring DUWO.
DUWO representative Flo Douché agreed to give The Herring an exclusive statement about the proposed policy: “We hear your complaints and see your emails, and we worked long and hard on a solution.” She adds, “The median rent in Amsterdam is 2,000 euros; tenants at DUWO are offered highly sought-after apartments at a fraction of that price,” even with the proposed fees. She urges tenants to “practice gratitude” and redirect their “passionate energy to their studies.” When reporters from the Herring asked Douché whether making hot water less accessible might have a damaging effect on the health of students, especially in the winter, she refused to comment.
Nothing is confirmed yet, but Douché says DUWO is in the final stages of rolling out this new policy. For now, we advise you to start saving up, get on that stairmaster, and practice taking cold showers to condition yourself.
April fools!
The Herring 