What You Need To Know About The Oyo State Government Home Owner's Charter Program

1. What Really Is The Oyo State Government Home Owner's Charter Program?

Home Owner Charter is a program of the Oyo state government on residential landed properties. The aim of the government is to allow homeowners regularize the legal status and documentation of their properties whilst providing enumeration data for proper planning, provision of roads, schools, hospitals and other essential services by the State Government.

Under the program, owners of eligible properties built without title or required approval in Oyo State will be given a window of opportunity to obtain Building Plan Approval, Certificate of Occupancy or other title documents.

All penalties and fines have been waived, documentations requirements relaxed and fees discounted to enable as many residents as possible to benefit.

2. What Gave Rise To The Need To Undertake This Program?

Records have shown that the majority of residential landed property in Oyo state have no registered title and as such made it difficult for proper planning - thereby denying owners the necessary benefits accruable from their residential properties. These houses have no Building Plan Approval, Certificate of Occupancy or other recognized title documents;
As a result:

• Homeowners have difficulties using their properties as collateral or selling /transferring their properties, due to lack of documentation.

• In real estate market transactions, most properties are undervalued due to lack of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O).

• The lack of proper documentation regrrsses the growth of the Oyo State property market preventing all stakeholders from getting the necessary information and thus reducing vibrancy in the property market.

• There is no accurate data on the actual number of residences in most areas for proper planning and provision of essential social amenities.

3. What Do I Gain from The Oyo State Government Home Owner's Charter Program?

• Documentation which confirms your true status as Homeowner.

• You will enjoy a significant discount in the process to obtain proper legal title to the land (C of O), Survey and Approved Building Plan.

• The value of the property will be enhanced and become more marketable as buyers can confidently transact knowing that correct title documentation is available.

• Property with correct legal status and documentation can be used as collateral for Bank loans and other business transactions.

• Dispute over ownership will be minimized, in the event of death, heirs are sure of valid inheritance.

• Property related fraud and problems of Omo-Oniles/Ajagungbales would be reduced.

• Your residential area will benefit from the Oyo State Government's urban renewal policy through effective planning of facilities in the areas of education, health and other essential infrastructure.

4. How Do I Apply For The Home Owner Charter?

Application forms are available FREE OF CHARGE at any of the following locations;

• Ministry of Land, Housing and Survey.

• Partner Banks: Access Bank, Diamond Bank, Eco Bank, Enterprise Bank, Fidelity Bank PLC, First Bank PLC, First a city Monument Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, keystone Bank, Mainstreet Bank PLC, Skye Bank, Stanbic IBTC PLC, Union Bank PLC, United Bank for Africa, Wema Bank PLC, Zenith Bank.

• HomeOwner Charter Centres in your area.

5. What is the process of treating my applications and how long will it take?

On receipt of your completed application form and payment of the expected fee of N120,000 only.

• Our surveyors, Town Planners and Land Officers will carry out a joint inspection visit to confirm that the property is eligible and that the information on the form is correct.

• On submission of your completed admission form, you will be issued a fees assessment letter of the expected fee of N120,000.

Note: You will then have a maximum of 3 weeks to pay the amount on the final invoice.

2. Can I pay in installments?

No: A onetime fee of N120,000 must be paid.

3. What will happen to those who do not take advantage of the Home Owner Charter program?

Home Owner Charter program is an extremely generous offer of the Oyo State Government to enable homeowners to regularize their status.

It is a once in a lifetime offer, and it is strongly advised that homeowners take full advantage of it.

Any residential property owner who fails to take advantage if this generous offer will have to apply for the conventional Certificate of Occupancy, which takes much longer and is more expensive.

4. Can I apply for the Home Owner Charter Program on a tenanted property?

Yes you can; but you will need to provide data on the tenants living in the property for the purpose of our enumeration. The data required is simple and the process of collecting it should not be difficult. Having the data will also assist you in knowing exactly who is living in your property and will enable us to plan for services in the area of your property.

5. Can I apply for the Home Owner charter Program on a property that is not yet completed?

Yes; so long as they are occupied, properties that have been completed and not completed are eligible for this scheme, as the aims of the scheme are to ratify properties in existence and occupied at the present time.

6. Can Property Owners who live abroad apply?

Yes, as long as they are bona-fide owner of the property, they are eligible to apply.

7. Is there a difference between the Home Owner's Charter C of O and the conventional C of O?

Any C of O obtained under the Home Owner's Charter program will be as valid as a C of O obtained through the conventional means provided all supporting documents are valid.