The person who wants to buy the large house (with pool) on the Berg en Dalseweg in Nijmegen has to have a past that is squeaky clean or it’s no deal.

The new owner, who will also have to pay close to €750,000 for the property, will be “screened by the justice department’ the advert on real estate website Funda says.

It’s a “pretty unique” demand, says real estate broker Rosa Braake, but easily explained. The eight-room detached house is next to youth penitentiary De Hunnerberg. “The justice ministry wants to know who will be taking up residence next to the villa. It wants to prevent crooks from buying it because crooks living next door to crooks is not a good idea,” she told the AD.

The no criminal clause was included when the villa, which used to be the prison’s groundkeepers’ house, was sold by the infrastructure ministry. You could compare it to a declaration of good behaviour (VOG) that you need to enter into some professions, Braake said.

Interest in the villa has been substantial, despite its neigbours, Braake said. “We are asked about it of course, because the back garden is directly adjacent to the prison grounds. We are very open about it. It’s a lovely house and the current owners never had any trouble.”