By Peace Udugba -The Daily Torch Media
The government has explored monthly and quarterly rent payment arrangements as alternatives to the conventional practice of demanding a full year’s rent upfront.
Its rent-to-own housing scheme, which allows beneficiaries to make an initial payment of five per cent and spread the outstanding balance over ten years, represents another intervention aimed at improving access to homeownership.
For tenants, these developments offer hope that the era in which landlords and property agents imposed virtually unchecked conditions on prospective occupants may gradually give way to a more regulated rental market.
However, despite the legal provisions designed to protect existing and prospective tenants, consumer advocate Mr Jude Iwegbue said the effectiveness of the interventions would depend largely on proper enforcement.
“Nevertheless, the effectiveness of these interventions will depend largely on enforcement and the willingness of governments to ensure that tenants can seek redress without unnecessary difficulties,” Iwegbue said.
He explained that, for many Nigerians, the financial burden of renting an apartment goes beyond the advertised rental price. A prospective tenant who agrees to pay a particular annual rent may later discover that agency and agreement fees, caution deposits and other charges have substantially increased the total amount required to secure the property.
In some cases, landlords insist on several years’ rent in advance, leaving prospective tenants with little choice but to borrow money, deplete their savings or settle for accommodation in distant communities where rents are relatively affordable.
The consequences are particularly severe for salaried workers, pensioners, young professionals and small business owners, whose earnings are already under pressure from rising food prices, transportation costs, electricity tariffs and other household expenses.
The proposed Federal Capital Territory (FCT) legislation seeks to address some of these concerns through compulsory written tenancy agreements, disclosure of additional charges, verifiable receipts and provisions against unlawful eviction.
It also proposes the establishment of a Rent Regulation and Tenants’ Protection Authority to investigate complaints, facilitate dispute resolution, monitor rental transactions and order refunds of unlawful payments.
However, consumer advocates and housing experts insist that the success of these measures should not be judged solely by the penalties prescribed in the legislation. Tenants must be able to report violations, obtain timely intervention and enjoy meaningful protection against victimisation by landlords.
The Chairman of the Faculty of Estate Agency and Marketing of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Yemi Stephens, has also raised concerns about sharp rent increases, excessive charges imposed on tenants and unilateral decisions by landlords.
Similarly, Professor Olurotimi Kemiki, an estate management and valuation expert, has emphasised the need to address housing supply constraints alongside regulatory interventions.
Their observations reinforce the argument that protecting tenants must go hand in hand with policies that encourage property investment and expand the availability of affordable accommodation.
