Story By: Ernest Bio Bogore, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Newsflash
A nursing student has been evicted from her apartment because her landlady thought she might contract COVID-19.
The incident took place in Perigny in the western French department of Charente-Maritime when the unnamed 70-year-old landlady told the nursing student that she was worried about her becoming infected with the deadly virus.
Isabelle, a third-year student at the Institut de Formation aux Soins Infirmiers (IFSI), told local media: “I still feel sick [about the eviction] to my stomach.”
According to Isabelle, the only reason she was turfed out of her home was because she was training at a nearby hospital and the landlady, whose name has not been disclosed, was concerned she could contract COVID-19.
Reports said that the student had been living on the first floor of the owner’s house since September 2019, and they shared the bathroom and kitchen.
Isabelle said: “The rental was arranged until June for 320 EUR (286 GBP) a month including breakfast and an evening meal. The rent was to be paid in cash and therefore without a receipt.”
According to Isabelle, the relationship with her landlady was initially good and she said that they regularly ate together.
However, she said: “As soon as the pandemic started trending, my landlady became more intrusive. She went through my washing and entered my room when I wasn’t there.
“She was afraid that I would infect her. She became very distant and would call her children in tears, concerned for herself.”
The student said that her 70-year-old landlady then asked her to keep all her food on one shelf in the fridge before events took a nasty turn on 28th March.
Isabelle explained: “At 9.15am I was getting ready for breakfast when I sneezed and blew my nose.
“She asked me to leave the house because she was scared I was sick.”
According to Isabelle, her landlady’s two adult sons arrived to the house and banged on her door while she was talking with her sister on the phone.
She claimed the brothers insulted her and one of them insisted: “You have to move. There’s no way you’re going to contaminate us all!”
Isabelle said that her sister heard everything on the other end of the phone and called the police.
The landlady told local media: “One of my sons knocked on her bedroom door and raised his voice a bit, but I did not tell her to leave because she works at the hospital.
“She was making herself very comfortable and I didn’t feel at home anymore.”
According to local media, Isabelle has since found accommodation with a friend.
It is unclear whether the local authorities are looking into the rental arrangement.
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