LANDLORDS TO GO TO JAIL OR PAY FINE IF THEY COLLECT MORE THAN THREE MONTHS ADVANCE PAYMENT FROM TENANTS - Nigeria Senator

It's like very soon many Nigerians who lives as tenants will breath a sigh of relief as the Upper house of government have successfully sponsored a motion for Landlords/ Tenants rent control. 

The bill which have scaled through the second reading in the house reveals that very soon Nigerian landlords don't have any more right to collect more than 3 months rent payment from the public as against the 1 - 2 years advance payment in major cities like Lagos, Abuja and the rest. If eventually the bill succeed being passed into law any landlord who break the law will either face 3 months jail term or an option of 1Million Naira fine. The law also stipulate a 3 months jail term to any tenant who may connive with a Landlord to pay above  the normal amount.

The new rent bill titled "Advance Rents for Residential Apartments, Office Spaces, and Other Buildings, Regulation Bill 2022", is designed to save the common masses who presently are paying rents through their noses. The law makers are of the view that the idea of compelling any person to pay huge amount of money before securing an accommodation is not only an insult but also a big crime. The reason, according to Senator Smart Adeyemi, representing Kogi West Senatorial District under APC, " many Landlords did not secure loans to build theirs houses; they are products of free money they acquire from the system. Yet they make life difficult for poor Nigerians who do not have such privilege of making such ill-gotten money from the system to put up structures."

Senator Adeyemi also revealed that most of the landlords who got to where they are through fraudulent means are deliberately doing what they are doing to either deny the average people of good living or indirectly luring them into crime in order to meet their requirements. The new Bill if finally approved will ensure that  tenants pay a maximum of 3 months payment to get an accommodation and after that a monthly payment.

Though for now Nigeria landlords have not publicly aired their veiw on the issue but a large percentage of them believe the Bill will never be approved. The reason is simple: many of the policy makers are still the same landlords in the society. They will do everything possible to frustrate the motion and get rid of it.