As the daughter and grand daughter of landlords,I say Fashola has crossed the line!
He ought to be stopped!
Nigeria is a cash only society so he has no right to institute such rule
A tenant can wake up in the middle of the night and relocate from Iyana Ipaja to mazamaza leaving the Landlord hanging.
At least 6 months advance pay is in order
To ask tenents to pay month to month is not sustenable in Nigeria.
Landlords have mouths to feed too
They are not running a charitable organization.

$osisi:

As the daughter and grand daughter of landlords,I say Fashola has crossed the line!
He ought to be stopped!

i support lol!!

I live in the USA and even here a tenant often pays the first and last months rent and a security deposit equal to one month's rent before he moves in
He signs a lease which is binding and if he moves out prior to the lease expiration,he owes the landlord according to the term of the lease.
and can also be sued for damages to the property.
The landlord has his social security number  and he can be tracked down and prosecuted and his credit worthiness tarnished if he defaults.
Can that be done in Nigeria?
Fashola cannot attempt to fashion Nigeria after what goes on in advanced countries when the infrastructure is not in place to punish offenders.
If tenants cannot pay at least 6 months advance in Nigeria,let them live under a bridge,build their own houses or move to their villages

jagwar:

i support lol!!

Imagine Fashola o
who does he think he is
Is it easy to suffer and build a house and not recoup your sweat
anybody that doesn't like it should move to Kafanchan or better yet buy a piece of land and build their own house

Its a welcome development. There has to be some sort of regulation cos some laqndlords/ladies could be mean. 6months advance is not bad

vislabraye:

Its a welcome development. There has to be some sort of regulation cos some laqndlords/ladies could be mean. 6months advance is not bad

my friend, put urself in the shoes of a hardworking man who struggled to build his house, and you have someone whom you dont even know from Jupiter
reporting you to the government about how you let out your property.

Fashola should be ready to start talks with construction material seller like Cement, gravel, sharp sand distributors not to collect money in advance.
they shud let us complete our house before asking for money,

ah! Fashola, u dissapoint me, u fuk up jo!

When someone like Fashola comes up with an idea like this, he definetly has a well thought out plan that would be for the good of all.

Let's wait and see. Definetly he wouldn't be that crazy to tell landlords to collect monthly rent.

There is no way monthly rent would work in Nigeria

jagwar:

i support lol!!

i quite agree with u brethren, i'm a landlord in London renting out shared accomodation my tenants are mainly Nigerians like me but i pass through hell B/4 i get my weekly rent 4rom them even though they know i can spoil their ability to get credit in the future they just still default. Advance Rent i think should still be accomodated 4 now but with limitations. When law is passed, it need not be harsh on either side or it will not gain good credibility.

@thunder74


i'm not contending the 10% agency fee, what i am contending is the fact that they insist on collecting that percent for 2 yrs rent even when i am paying for only 1 yrs rent.

if i decide to leave the apartment after one year i would have paid them a commission for a flat i am not living in

I reside outside Nigeria and the practice is that you pay monthly for the fact that you're not paid a one year or two years salary in advance where ever you work. This practice is one of the bad practices we have in Nigeria.May God help Fashola to achive much more. We will continue to pray for that man. If this practice could work here,it could equally work in Nigeria. Those who wants to introduce this will no doubt take care of erring tenants too. The law will also take care of tenants who are not willing and ready to pay as at when due.
Mechanism will be put in place for such tenants to even cough out more than he defaulted and this will deter tenants from having it in mind that they could cheat a landlord and get away with it.Who says this is not achievable? All these burden of having to look for thousands of Naira before you could have shelter on your head could even push some into this corrupt practices we are talking of figthing. These are all we have to curb before we can really get serious about fighting corruption.

I have to come back again after reading some comments here. But before i go further,i cannot hinder them from expressing their opinions but come to think of it,how do we explain the issue of wopping sum of money paid as agreement? Why do tenants have to be subjected to payment of commission? Is it not the landload who gave his property out to agents that ought to pay his agent? These are facts that we are failing to address. There are abuses here and there and we can't just continue like this. Many are even casting aspersion on Fashola here and i beg you guys to ask for God's forgiveness. If we could find just 10 GOVERNORS in Nigeria who are like Fashola,Nigeria would have been better than most countries of the world that we struggle daily to relocate to.
Things can't remain as it is. We need changes and we have to make sacrifices and stop being selfish.

Wallex73 please u should understand that the practice worked in your America because people have a stable job & a workable system that cater 4 the working class, in Nigeria employers cannot guarantee the safety of any job with or without contract. In uk for instance, when u are made redundant & are having difficulty paying your RENT all u need do is visit the job centre & seek 4 help & u will be sorted. U can as well seek 4 help when with ur income (wages) u are struggling to survive after paying ur RENT u will as well be sorted by giving u INCOME SUPPORT until ur circumstances improve,. Now u can see a big disparity between these places. l think Fashola gov. is only trying to play politics with the people good intention though, but the timing is definately wrong. Some of this houses have got mortgages on them if the Advance Rent is not paid the landlord might not be able to keep up with the repayment especially when a tenant defaults on the per calender monthly plan & we all know what will happen to such property FORECLOSURE . And to those you Estate Agent/landlords Critics in this blogg, who still cannot understand that this is just a noise politics, ask yourself this simple question why is this same Fashola Gov. not selling or renting out to low income earners their low housing units at affordable price if they really really want change. l can see a serious Noise politics going on on this issue, Fashola have to come clean B/4 lagos Landlords will cooperate.

ha ha ha,

Stella my long lost friend and sweetheart. How have you been? In Jandon or Lag? Holla at me.

Hiya, i am fine thanks, in london, was in naija 2 years ago, very boring, how are u though, talk later,

Later does not exist in my dictionary. Holla now

stellaj:

Hiya, i am fine thanks, in london, was in naija 2 years ago, very boring, how are u though, talk later,

larez:

Later does not exist in my dictionary. Holla now

Oga architech, here no be romance forum make u take am easy.

@larez,
One thing that we need to do more often in Nigeria is to avoid trying to reinvent the wheel. There are many better advanced Nations that have had to deal with these issues. They also had to address the issue of fairness to all parties involved. Such is the case of the United States. There are usually 2 separate lines of law dealing with issues of residential or commercial properties. In the case of Residential properties, here is a typical scenario:

1. An application fee of $25.00- $30.00 for a credit check on the individual to determine their credit risk.

2. A deposit amounting to 1/2 to 2 months lease which is refundable upon vacation of the premises and leaving it in a habitable condition.

3. A lease is signed specifying the time of lease which is standard 1 year renewable and could range between 6 months to 2 years. Some counties may restrict a lease to be only binding for a year renewable. There is usually a discount rate for a one-year lease.

4. Leases are standardized and usually guided by State law. Any lease instituted by a Landlord that violates the guidelines/spirit of the law shall be null and void and could attract a penalty or criminal proceedings against a Landlord.

5. There are magistrate courts available to address issues between Landlords and Tenants that tend to dispose of the issue within a month. Upon judgement, monies left unpaid by the tenant shall be taken out of the security deposit paid upon signing of lease. Any extra amounts shall be legally binding amongst parties and collection actions can be instituted after a goodwill time frame has expired. Further judgements for the collection efforts can also be initiated.

6. In the case of a dispossession based on failure to pay rent, this can be entered into the Tenants credit records if payments are not made timely after court judgement.

7. No extra costs are necessary when a standard residential lease is signed between a Landlord and a Tenant. Lawyers are usually not involved in this process, but in the case of an Agent finding or referring a Tenant, then the Landlord pays the agent according to whatever advertized agreements.

If these issues raised above are addressed by the Lagos State Government, then a fair and enabling environment will have been created for tenants. The cost factors of residential rentals should not be agonizing to potential tenants. In the United States, parents can legally kick their kids out at the age of 18. This is partly why it is important for any community to have an enabling environment for young people to gain their independence. Nigeria should seek a similar procedure to help develop it's young people into productive citizens.

In the case of commercial properties, since people in business are supposed to be savvy and aware, there are no protections in rental. Legal agreements are entered into by entities or people and are interpreted by a court of law based on the contents of the binding agreement. It will be pertinent on all parties to seek legal counsel accordingly.

Hi larez,
I want to take issues with some of your comments, more so that l've "known" your postings even since the days of "www.Nigeria.com" and even much more, that you're knowledgeable and a qualified architect, which even puts you in a better position than most people, to appreciate the ramifications of the issue in question, viz-a-viz the Nigerian/Lagos housing space.
In my earlier post #57, titled "Who is fooling Who", l raised up issues on this "one month advance rent" palava; pls refer.

In as much as l enjoy reading you, l find it curious that you think we can "import wholesale", what goes on in America, into Nigeria without due regard for the peculiarity of our environment. Someone has raised issues about this disposition of yours in an earlier blog about "Houses/Architectural designs for Nigeria" and said some of those designs you supplied would not necessarily work in Nigeria due to, among other things, our climate, material sourcing problems, to mention just two.

Now, back to the current matter, l have quoted your submissions verbatim (up there) to give the matter proper perspective.
Let me first say it is "most desirable" that we do away with 'advance rent' that runs into years. A month or two would be proper but the issue boils down to "timing & workability" given our current "climate".
I have rented house in Europe so, l know how the "Rent Lease Agreement" Works.

Client identification, Lease signing, arbitration by courts in the event of a default by any of the the parties, reimbursement of the aggrieved party, e.t.c. as you mentioned above, are all based on one key factor: PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION & CREDIT VETTING.

My questions are these:
1. If one Mr. Lasisi Oshodi of "no former-fixed address" wants to rent your house in Lagos, where or which Agency do you go to, to do a credit check on him? As a landlord in Lagos, l will be happy to hear your response.

2. If Lasisi works in 'Larez & Company! when he rents my house and signed a one year lease and due to the economic crunch, he gets "rationalized" and does not have a job anymore, (unlike the USA and Europe where "Job Seekers allowance and Unemployment benefits" would take care of most of his immediate expenses like housing and food) am l supposed to, can l or should l throw Mr. Lasisi on the street, if he owes me two months rent at a go? (In those Western countries, one month debt is actually enough to throw you out and recover property, agreement na agreement! Some apartments use a "card-entry system" which expires and locks you out, if not renewed by a certain date, through the payment of your rent l bet that is what Lagos landlords need, but where is the electricity to power such? ). Some tenants in Lagos owe two years rent and still claim "right"! Once again, your advice in this regard will be most appreciated. Others too can submit viable suggestions.

3. "Credit checks" are possible because in the Europe and America, right from (birth for citizens) day one, the government has a "lock and trace" on each individual till they die. Everything is locked down in an online database, from all the addresses you've lived, to your work records, earnings, tax-paid-to-date, account details, finger prints, property acquired, driver's license, e.t.c. , and it is accessible to enforcement agencies, when the need arise.

In our own dear country, where the Presidential Villa depends on Diesel Generators for day-to-day electricity, where would you get these data? Where is the database? Where is the POWER to run such database? How come people can acquire two, three identities (Passport, driver's license, I.D cards, e.t.c) if not for the lack of a "citizen database"?

4. If a court asked Mr. Lasisi to pay his landlord "X-amount" of naira for debt owed and even more importantly, "legal costs" (which might get very prohibitive) and Mr. Lasisi decides to "disappear into thin air" by relocating from Lagos to Kafanchan, with a new name, where is the "resources" to trace him, like hand-held, internet enabled PDA's which the Police in the Western countries are equipped with? Or can that happen in USA?

These and many other issues which are highlighted in my post #57, needs to be tabled and discussed openly, after which a position paper will be presented for acceptance by representatives of the government, the Tenants and the Landlords (after which it becomes binding and enshrined in law).
In a situation where Government can not rent its own "low income-cost" buildings without collecting "advance rent", is it not hypocritical of the same government and its "cheer leaders" to ask private individuals to do so? "Source the Goose, Source the Gander" is an over-used coinage!

I expect a bottom-up approach where we would first make "building inputs" like Cement, Sand, Planks, nails, e.t.c, very affordable and available, before any enforcement of "desirable" rights or is it not "he who owns the piper that dictates the tune"?

Why cant govt allow would-be landlords to pay all those "perennially increasing" land charges, on installmental basis? As an Architect, l am sure you are aware of the horrendous charges, in lump sum, one has to pay (after paying the landowner for the land itself) the govt, to get your land properly documented, in Lagos! WHY? Why cant we remove the "log in our eyes first, before attempting to remove the gnat is someone's else eye"? If Govt land-rent is "lump-sum and ever increasing", how come it expects the payers (landlord), to do otherwise?

My additional positive suggestions are that:
1. Govt must create the enabling environment that will assist working class people to own their own house, by: making land acquisition easy, affordable, transparent and installmentally payable.

2. All Govt charges on land regularization (C-of-O, Stamp Duty, Land Rent, e.t.c) should be drastically reduced to make such process more affordable and less burdensome
3. Govt must institute a plan which allows very low interest (or even interest free) loans to be sourced by tax-paying individuals (not just civil servants and not at "profitable bank rates" to build a house, once you have a land. This will encourage more tenants to try build their own house thus, flood the market with rentable houses and the "law of demand and supply" will force prices down.

4. Since we seem incapable of generating electricity, despite all the electrical engineers in this country! , and the Billions of dollars our government has "donated" to the Chinese (to import faulty transformers, by Obasanjo's regime), let us use the money to import and flood the market with Cement and other building materials. Cement @#2,000/bag! is a nightmare for anyone. Any average man (apart from treasury looters and Yahoo scammers) who has built a house in Lagos will agree that it is a life threatening venture!

5. Let us agree that a lot of desirable things, worthwhile ventures, are tied to stable electricity. Until we resolve that problem, other problems would either be impossible to resolve or would take thrice the effort and cost. Let us follow the Chinese model for "compact and mini power stations" that are community based, instead of the gigantic projects-to-Alaska (bridge to nowhere) that we constantly embark on, without success.
Appreciate you bruvda, keep it going.

BTW: The argument is raging, between the "repair of roads and the beautifying of the environment" AND the "provision of stable electricity" in Lagos, which would you have preferred that the Lagos state government undertake first? My take is (you guessed right!) ELECTRICITY.
Maybe "admins" can let us have a thread on this? larez, which would you prefer first and why?

Lastpage:

You have been very thorough in the issues that you have raised as well as the way you have addressed potential solutions. This is a very positive perspective in taking care of the problems that we have in Nigeria. We can only resolve them when we think through them and attempt to address them.

In regards to your first question about a method of credit checks, I think we may have to find alternatives such as employment and established family members that will co-sign the lease. We may have to also bring in some legislation that will criminalize (with strong penalties) those that use fraudulent names. Furthermore, we may have to create a separate magistrate/arbitration court that will certify leases entered upon, that will be recorded with a file number. The lessee may also have to take a photograph that will be attached to this file. A system such as this may impose some sense of lawfulness that will discourage abuse. Lease extensions may waive this requirement once the original has been certified.

A system as described may also benefit the Renter in the sense that records can be checked to authenticate them as the true renter of the property as in the case of requesting power and other services for the address. It could also be a form of the beginning of a database that could be accessible by the Police in neighbourhood matters. This will also eliminate the unreasonable 10-20% being tagged unto leases by speculators acting as agents. The Landlord may opt to pay such agent a fixed fee if so desired to accelerate the marketing of his available property. Another benefit of this record keeping system is that a history of leasing is being created by the person for reference to future Landlords. With wireless Networking freely available in Nigeria, the database should be accessible and provided for by the funds generated from the lease registration fees.

Lagos State is currently almost completing a property database that will list all buildings in the State and ownership. This could easily be adapted to include current residents of such properties. So, in a way, it will be easier to add and remove from this database than to begin one afresh.

On the issue of building materials, I am currently working on getting a Quarry off the ground and have done my figures to discover that building materials are very overpriced in Nigeria. It is my intention to attempt to create a better product at a cheaper price. However, I have been notified that it may be impossible to do this because the other Quarries will not allow me to. when I asked what they meant by "allow me to", it was then that I learned that a certain click will go to any extent including murdering a person if they attempt to shake the tree that they eat from. I can also guess that this will be the case about cement as well.

Cement is basically ground limestone that is quarried with additives such as gypsum and fly-ash. There is no reason why it should be at the price that it's going for in Nigeria but for the same reasons that I have stated above. Without the security available to protect those who want to make it more competitive and the court system that will prosecute the 'Mafia' that continue to oppress the common man, it may be impossible at this time to change things. But with a new wave of leaders like Fashola coming into Nigerian politics, there may be hope yet. I can authoritatively say that there is still a huge margin of profits to be made if building materials were sold at 75% of the current levels. I have done the homework, and my spreadsheets have shown me the facts.

This topic also gives me the opportunity to talk about the issue of power. Recently, I came across an article that showed that PHCN is being sold gas (LNG) at the rate of N16.64 per 1000 CuF (Cubic feet). While simulating numbers to run a caterpillar Gas powered generator of 30KVA, I calculated an hourly gas usage price of N0.099 per KVA at the NEPA rate. This as opposed to N15.437 hourly per KVA using diesel at N95.00 per litre.

The fact of the matter is that Nigeria is being held back by a few for their own selfish purposes. We had been wasting this same gas by flaring it. Nigeria is more of a gas producer than a crude oil producer. Even if the cost of getting the gas delivered caused the price to multiply by X3, Nigerians should never be running their generators on diesel. Yes i understand that there will be a cost of capital in creating the gas facilities, but this should be a priority for the government. At 3 times the price being sold to NEPA delivered, it will still be at least 1/5th using diesel to power our generators.

In Nigeria we create 'Government' without the knowledge of why the white man created government. We forget that government is to serve the people and not vice-versa. The first job of the Government is therefore to make life as easy as possible for the people. Government should not as in the case of Nigeria be for self serving purposes. This is where 'We the People' have to step up and remind government of what it's duties are. Unfortunately, there seem to be a purposeful effort by the government to keep the average Nigerian uneducated. This is because they know the power that can come out of an educated electorate. This is why they bhave found it difficult to pass the freedom of information act.

Today, we are seeing what is going on in Iran. As repressive as Iran has been, the people are refusing to allow their votes to be stolen. They are hitting the streets and using people power to get themselves heard. Meanwhile, in Nigeria, a certain class of people can get away with anything. We are all afraid to die but are being killed unnecessarily everyday. Someone pockets the budget for a roadway construction, and within a year 200 people get killed on the dilapidated roadway. Who is responsible for these deaths? Nigerians really need to start figuring this out.

But back to the issues that you raised Lastpage. They are very valid issues that need to be resolved. resolution does not mean dumping the weight of the issues on the poor man. Rather it means going into innovative steps and thoughts of coming up with a win-win situation for everyone. Each man has a right to life and his freedom, he should also have a right to an abode without having to resort to criminality to reach this end.

Larez nwanmi (as we say in Akwa-ibom!)
You have gone far and above my expectation. I am not disappointed neither am l surprised.

I wondered aloud in another forum-topic, when l asked whether it would be correct to say "Nigerians are the most selfish people around"?

You mentioned Iranians taking their destiny into their hands, and for an Islamic Republic, thats quite a challenge!
What excuze do we Nigerians have for suffering under these yokes placed on us?

The only answer l could come up with, is that it has to do with the cliche that says "everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die" , an impossibility that explains the cycle of suffering in Nigeria.

, and our "self-centered-ness"  reminds me of Fela Anikulapo Kuti when he sang that Nigerians are always ready with loads  of excuzes NOT to "protest injustice" (as Iranians are doing today) when meted-out to them by saying "Mama dey for house, pickin dey for school, l never marry, l never build house, l still wan go school, e.t.c" , just to avoid doing what is necessary, to safeguard our future!

Doing away with advance rent is very desirable but it has to be well-planned, methodical and in consonance with infrastructural development in other facets of our economy. Remember "files" do get lost and do get burnt at EFCC, as secure as that place is, so says the chairperson!!

What you experienced at the Quarry replicates right across our National life, Mafia Generator sellers that would ensure Nepa does not function, Mafia PMS Marketers that would ensure unending increase in fuel price, without commensurate development of local content and refineries, Mafia borehole water sellers that will ensure the state Water Works pipe gets broken regularly, Mafia boss that fix commuter bus price at Bus stops, Mafia Pepper Grinders that would say you cant grind less than ten pieces of pepper at less than #20, even if you felt like doing so and many more!

Everywhere, its "organized crime" and we know them, we see them yet we remain hapless and allow a few band of cabals to hold about 140million intelligent people to ransom!
My prayer is that we would put things in perspective and order our priorities. Policies have to be focused and articulate in implementation, not just populist.
A reference to Abraham Maslow's Hierarchical Pyramid of human needs might do our policy makers some good.
The Guv'nor is not doing badly but like Oliver Twist, l think he can still do more and do better.

Peace & luv (you remember that, dont you?)

lastpage:

Larez nwanmi (as we say in Akwa-ibom!)
You have gone far and above my expectation. I am not disappointed neither am l surprised.

I wondered aloud in another forum-topic, when l asked whether it would be correct to say "Nigerians are the most selfish people around"?

You mentioned Iranians taking their destiny into their hands, and for an Islamic Republic, thats quite a challenge!
What excuze do we Nigerians have for suffering under these yokes placed on us?

The only answer l could come up with, is that it has to do with the cliche that says "everyone wants to go to heaven but no one wants to die" , an impossibility that explains the cycle of suffering in Nigeria.

, and our "self-centered-ness"  reminds me of Fela Anikulapo Kuti when he sang that Nigerians are always ready with loads  of excuzes NOT to "protest injustice" (as Iranians are doing today) when meted-out to them by saying "Mama dey for house, pickin dey for school, l never marry, l never build house, l still wan go school, e.t.c" , just to avoid doing what is necessary, to safeguard our future!

Doing away with advance rent is very desirable but it has to be well-planned, methodical and in consonance with infrastructural development in other facets of our economy. Remember "files" do get lost and do get burnt at EFCC, as secure as that place is, so says the chairperson!!

What you experienced at the Quarry replicates right across our National life, Mafia Generator sellers that would ensure Nepa does not function, Mafia PMS Marketers that would ensure unending increase in fuel price, without commensurate development of local content and refineries, Mafia borehole water sellers that will ensure the state Water Works pipe gets broken regularly, Mafia boss that fix commuter bus price at Bus stops, Mafia Pepper Grinders that would say you cant grind less than ten pieces of pepper at less than #20, even if you felt like doing so and many more!

Everywhere, its "organized crime" and we know them, we see them yet we remain hapless and allow a few band of cabals to hold about 140million intelligent people to ransom!
My prayer is that we would put things in perspective and order our priorities. Policies have to be focused and articulate in implementation, not just populist.
A reference to Abraham Maslow's Hierarchical Pyramid of human needs might do our policy makers some good.
The Guv'nor is not doing badly but like Oliver Twist, l think he can still do more and do better.

Peace & luv (you remember that, dont you?)

That's not Akwa Ibom.

How i wish our leaders visit forums like this and learn to change this country for beter.
The last 7 responses from nairalanders are realy beautiful.
I had my NYSC programme in lagos ,i went through hell due to accommodation problem ,i had to squat with a friend whose family just use a single room for family of 7. I and my friend dont sleep in that room we only come and eat and hang out with his friend who just got a job with first bank then and was able to rent a 2 bedroom apartment.We normally sleep in his sitting room. To cut a long story short ,after NYSC service i could not afford the rent in lagos as i have not secure a job yet so had to relocate back to my state.Now that God has helped me to build a house of my own, i know how difficult it is to build and capital intensive let Fasola leave Lagos landlord alone.
he should concentrate his energy elsewhere because i know he cant win that battle. The same lagos state govt. will sell 3bedroom apartment for N8million and call it low cost houses, who is deceiving who?

Lastpage, I must thank you for your vote of confidence. Hey, Can i use you as reference for my Investors? lol

For the information of all tenants on this board. I have asked my lawyer to increase rent on all my properties by 25% with immediate effect, this applies to all contract due from next month, due to this new law. Either that law is passed or not. Who cares. Let them go and build for them self. I hope you all know that fashola is taxing on rental income, althought some landlords don't pay.

Sorry to you all, if you want to live in a mega city you have to pay mega money. And these are still early days, as soon as the mega city vision is accomplished we will send all unhappy tenants to their respective villages

Case closed

That is very good the governor is really changing EKO. I wish this can be implemented in Asaba Delta state and other major Cities in the part of Nigeria.

Advance rents banned!?!
No problem!

Prospective Tenant: Baba, what's the rent for this exqusitely finished 3-bed flat (In Gbagada)?
Landlord: Oh my dear young man, it's only NGN100,000 per month
PT: Wow that's wonderful. Should I write you a cheque or you prefer cash? Better still I can pay directly into your bank account
L: Patience my boy. First; sign this lease agreement which states that minimum length of stay is 24 months. Secondly; you will be required to pay NGN2.3 million "security" deposit (did I hear someone say that is the balance of the NGN1.2m p.a for two years?) and finally you'll sort out the legal and agency fees
PT: Passes out

@Ndipe

That's not Akwa Ibom.

Yes, its is. Means "my dear" in Ibibio.

Ma'abasi, l served my NYSC there, one whole good year so, l know what l am saying,
" Tan'kikor Ibibio, n'kopo m'akara!"
U dig that?

@Larez,
Ameey'an! ?(Greetings)
no problem with your suggestion.
if it helps a bruvda to advance his good course, the pleasure is mine then.
Cheers.

I think the first step towards this ugly trend is to stop the commisions here and there, the 10% times 2 been collected is a fraud/
when people buy car, does the car dealer charge them commission on the buyer? its the seller that settles the dealer.

The 10% agreement is a big scam. and why should an agent collect 10% commision?
Its not as if i am buying a commodity or they are working for me on a commision basis,

larez:

I fully agree with you. It is a rip-off

Oga architect l do not side with u on this point at all in as much as i respect u on this blog. The 10% by 2 collected by Est. Agent is not & cannot be fruad because the money was paid to E.A for service that was rendered. l can understand that the 10% is on the high side but it is absolutely legal(atleast 4 now) in my own opinion . Ur suggestion that they should set up a commission or Ombudsman as it is called in the UK is no bad ideal, here is an additional contribution 2 that. Let an indepedent body set an Ombudsman & let all Estate Agent sign up with them if they must trade & the Government then regulates them (E.A) through the Ombudsman.

hailolive:

I think the first step towards this ugly trend is to stop the commisions here and there, the 10% times 2 been collected is a fraud/
when people buy car, does the car dealer charge them commission on the buyer? its the seller that settles the dealer.

The 10% agreement is a big scam. and why should an agent collect 10% commision?
Its not as if i am buying a commodity or they are working for me on a commision basis,

Hailolive, it might interest u to know that some buyers also pay some charges(commission) when making a car purchase especially people buying through finance. U see, it is all business as long as u can play safe within the rules.