The Lagos State Government (LASG) has declared a firm stance against the rising trend of landlords and real estate agents demanding more than one year’s rent from prospective tenants. This declaration, seen as both protective and punitive, was issued amid growing complaints from residents about exploitative rental demands in the state’s urban and semi-urban areas.
During a recent appearance on TVC’s Your View, Barakat Bakare, Special Adviser on Housing to LASRERA, reasserted the Sanwo-Olu administration’s resolve to enforce tenant-friendly rent policies. She stressed that the government is determined to confront property owners who operate outside the bounds of the law, noting that such practices fuel homelessness, urban poverty, and class segregation.
State Law Violated: Rent Shouldn’t Exceed One Year
The Lagos State Government has restated that collecting more than one year’s rent in advance is a direct contravention of existing tenancy laws. While landlords may opt to collect rent on a monthly, quarterly, biannual, or annual basis, demanding two or more years’ worth of rent up front remains illegal under the Lagos Tenancy Law.
Bakare noted, “The minimum you can collect is one month’s rent, and the maximum is one year. Anything beyond that is a violation.” She further revealed that the law was instituted not just to regulate the property market but to protect the vulnerable population from arbitrary housing conditions that exacerbate the housing deficit in Nigeria’s commercial capital.
LASRERA Launches Tenant Protection Campaign
The Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA), under directives from the state government, has launched an active tenant protection campaign, urging Lagosians to speak out against unlawful demands by landlords. The campaign includes a call for residents to file reports of violations directly to LASRERA’s Alausa headquarters or through the agency’s digital complaint channels.
By empowering tenants to hold landlords accountable, LASRERA seeks to change the long-standing narrative of fear and intimidation often faced by renters. “Tenants are not helpless,” Bakare affirmed. “This administration is on their side, and there are legal channels through which redress can be pursued swiftly and transparently.”
Public Reactions Stir Legal and Economic Debates
The Lagos State Government’s crackdown has stirred fierce debates across socio-economic lines, with some landlords describing the regulation as government overreach into private agreements. Property owners argue that in an inflationary economy, where building costs and land values are soaring, limiting rent to just one year undermines investment security and profitability.
On the other hand, tenant advocacy groups and civil society organizations applaud the state’s bold move, citing it as a step toward dismantling housing elitism and the commodification of shelter. They argue that homes should be for living, not hoarding or speculative gains, and insist that legal enforcement is long overdue in Lagos’s chaotic real estate sector.
Hidden Agendas? Real Estate Cartels Under Scrutiny
The Lagos State Government has subtly hinted at investigating what it calls “invisible real estate cartels” that manipulate rent prices through collective monopolistic behavior. These groups, often operating under the guise of estate developers and associations, are suspected of influencing high rent standards and bypassing legal limits.
Bakare noted that beyond individual landlords, entire housing clusters and gated communities operate with unregulated payment structures. “There are real estate rackets in this state that think they are above the law. But with LASRERA’s mandate and political will, we are dismantling these structures piece by piece,” she asserted, urging victims to come forward with proof.
The Way Forward: Towards a Balanced Housing Economy
The Lagos State Government has committed to creating a more balanced housing economy, where laws protect both landlords and tenants equitably. In line with this, the administration is reviewing the Lagos Tenancy Law for stricter enforcement, clear penalties, and incentives for landlords who comply with ethical rental practices.
Furthermore, Lagos State Government has pledged to increase its investment in affordable housing schemes across the state’s five divisions. These initiatives are designed to reduce dependency on private landlords and create sustainable alternatives that meet the housing needs of the city’s rapidly growing population. In Bakare’s words, “Housing must never become a privilege—it is a fundamental human right.”
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