Tenants in Osogbo, Osun State, have expressed frustration over what they termed exploitative rent increases by landlords, urging the state government to intervene urgently.
Several tenants, in separate interviews with correspondents on Monday, said the sharp hikes were making life increasingly difficult and called for a law to regulate housing rents.
Mr Emmanuel Ayanda, a tenant in Osogbo, said his landlord recently raised the rent on his three-bedroom flat from ₦180,000 to ₦400,000 without justification.
“A few months before my rent expired, the landlord, through his lawyer, sent me a letter stating the new rent. The building is old, without tiles, and with wooden doors. I couldn’t afford the new amount, so I had to move out,” he said.
Ayanda urged the government to establish a task force to monitor and control rent levels across the state.
Miss Feyisayo Akomolafe, who resides in Ogoluwa, said her two-bedroom apartment rent jumped from ₦450,000 to ₦600,000.
“This is a civil service state, not an industrialised one. I don’t know where landlords expect struggling civil servants to find such money,” she said.
Mr Jeremiah Obeh, a resident of Ofatedo, said his rent was raised from ₦900,000 to ₦1.1 million for a three-bedroom flat. He called on the state government to enact a law to regulate landlords and their agents.
Another tenant, Miss Glory Adeola, said her one-room self-contained apartment rent rose from ₦250,000 to ₦320,000. She described the hike as arbitrary and unjustified.
Meanwhile, some landlords attributed the rent increases to Nigeria’s economic conditions.
Mr Peter Osinubi said the rise in rent was caused by economic challenges and believed the government should address the root issues.
Mr Oladele Bode also deflected responsibility, suggesting tenants take up the matter with the government due to inflation and rising living costs.
However, Mr Abiodun Olowoporoku, Chairman of the Association of Real Estate Managers in Osun, blamed the hikes on the greed of some landlords.
“Several efforts to persuade landlords against unnecessary hikes have failed. When agents advise moderation, landlords often seek out others willing to agree to their terms,” he said.
Olowoporoku explained that the state government is working on a bill to regulate rent and curb excessive charges.
Similarly, Mr Kofoworola Adewunmi, Majority Leader of the Osun State House of Assembly, confirmed that the “Osun State Estate Agency Regulatory Authority Bill 2024” had been passed and sent to the governor for assent.
“The bill aims to prevent exploitation by landlords and agents. It has passed third reading and awaits the governor’s signature. Once enacted, it will regulate charges, mandate agent registration, and prohibit unregistered operators,” he said.
(NAN)