Lagos State Deputy Governor and All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Obafemi Hamzat, has vowed to clamp down on landlords demanding two or three years’ rent in advance from tenants, declaring that the state will enforce its one-year rent payment rule.
Hamzat said the government was determined to end the practice of forcing tenants to pay multiple years’ rent upfront, arguing that such demands placed an unbearable financial burden on residents.
He spoke on Sunday during a governorship debate organised by the Nigeria Debate Consortium in Lagos.
The deputy governor said the government’s priority was now to ensure compliance with existing regulations governing rent payments and activities in the real estate sector.
According to him, it is unreasonable for landlords to demand two or three years’ rent when most workers do not receive their salaries years in advance.
“The next chapter for Lagos is to enforce, to make sure people should not be asked to pay two years, three years ahead because nobody gets salary three years ahead,” he said.
Hamzat also disclosed that the government would strengthen the regulation of estate agents, insisting that practitioners must register with the state and have their details captured in an official database.
He urged residents to make use of the Lagos State Real Estate Registration Agency’s online platform to report abuses and other irregularities in the property market.
He explained that feedback from residents would enable the government to monitor landlords, estate agents and other players in the sector.
On housing affordability, Hamzat promised to complete ongoing government housing projects while accelerating the processing of land titles and property regularisation documents.
He said delays in obtaining property documents could increase housing costs, adding that the state had automated the process to enable residents to submit applications online.
The APC governorship candidate also called for stronger partnerships with private property developers to spread affordable housing beyond wealthy neighbourhoods.
He challenged developers building luxury properties in areas such as Ikoyi and Victoria Island to consider undertaking similar projects in less affluent communities.
Hamzat said the government wanted a housing arrangement that catered for both wealthy residents and low-income earners.
He further cited the ‘Everyday Dignity’ component of his manifesto, saying his administration would work with landlords to ensure that rent payments did not strip residents of their dignity.
The controversy over multiple years’ rent has remained a major source of hardship for tenants in Lagos, with many struggling to meet landlords’ demands amid rising accommodation costs.
Under Section 4 of the Lagos State Tenancy Law 2011, landlords and their agents are prohibited from demanding or receiving more than one year’s rent in advance from a new tenant. The law also stipulates limits for existing tenants.
Hamzat’s pledge therefore places renewed emphasis on enforcement of the state’s tenancy regulations, particularly against landlords and agents who continue to demand excessive advance payments.
