nextstep:


And when the tenant disappears without a trace for who-knows-how-long... who do you serve the quit notice? At least now the tenant is forced to say "hello" instead of silently clearing all his things out like the previous guy...

linearity:
By law, she can not eject you without a valid order from the rent tribunal.

Until that happens, she can't lock you out or padlock your gate as you are still the legally recognized owner of the house.

You can break the locks and move your things and she will not have any legal cause of action, but she might want to start a physical altercation if she walks in before you finish moving your things or if someone informs her and she comes around.

Right now, she is in violation of the law by locking you out without due process of the law and she is also causing you undue hardship by denying you access to you properties, look for a charge and bail lawyer, put small something in their pocket and they will write her a strongly worded letter to give you access to the house within 48hrs, else she will be sued and if she refuses, sue her and bring her to court and make sure you ask for damages and award.

You will end up not paying the light bill or June and July rent, and in addition to that, she will end up paying you to kill the case.

BTW: You are in the wrong for not taking care of your responsibilities, but the Landlord should have followed the right legal process...two wrongs does make it right.

thunder74:
I read some of the comments here and they are off the point or at best moral advice which is different from the position of our laws.

You did not tell us your location but let me assume that you are in Lagos. Your remedy is already captured by the Tenancy law which placed a fine of N250k or three months imprisonment on any landlord that uses self-help in ejecting his/her tenant.

If you have the money and the time, file a criminal complaint at the nearest police station for it to be taken up from there.

Your landlady should have served you six months notice and after its expiration, give you 7 days owner's intention to apply to recover possession. Then if you still refuse or ignore to give possession, she can then approach court to get a valid order to eject you. We should stop celebrate illegality on the alter of sentiment, whatever you permit will increase.

Kindly take note also that you will also pay for every other days you stay in the house after 31st of May and also pay for all the utility bills.

One woman tried this with one of my clients, she will never try it again in her life after I was through with her.

Paentera:


In the case where the poster never mentioned ejection, how did you come to that conclusion that this is the reason the gate was locked?

hardbody:


The fact your rent expired does other warrant that constructive eviction. As it is, you are entitled to 7 seven days notice of owners intention to possess. Thereafter a writ of eviction filed, served on you and argued in court before you can be evicted by the court. You can dismantle that lock and access your house when you remain a statutory tenant until lawfully evicted. You can also go to court seek injunction restraining the landlord from unlawfully evicting you. Your lawyer should also seek declaration that you are entitled to requisite notice before eviction and the fact that such a lockout was a continuing breach of your rights to peaceful accommodation.

While at it, you should also pay in the outstanding bill into the court.

Be certain to protect yourself and additionally get the police involved by claiming threat to life. That way your landlord will be made to sign that he will be of good behaviour and will not take steps that will jeopardise your life.

Finally, be ready to move and make arrangements to procure alternative accommodation as you can no longer stay there after all these.

Alternatively, go and beg your landlord and pay him/her.

Oblongata:
i was silently reading all comments hoping i would get to read a mature and reasonable comment and here i am...
most of the other comment (before urs) dont even know tenancy rules or agreement. sadly many people who have never even dreamt of renting a house all by themselves would still rush to contribute their stupid comments.

from what i deduce, the 25k that was on the light bill was from the previous tenant, it did not matter to this new tenant (probably) until now; when PHCN has decided to come convert their post meter into prepaid. and with this you need to offset the previous balance, either spread out monthly or outrightly.
it is wrong for the landlord to lock a tenant's house, without recourse to law. unless an agreement was not attained.
after 7 days notice of owners intention, op still has 6 months to use to search for alternative accommodation after being served quit notice.

my 2 cents.

thunder74:
I read some of the comments here and they are off the point or at best moral advice which is different from the position of our laws.

You did not tell us your location but let me assume that you are in Lagos. Your remedy is already captured by the Tenancy law which placed a fine of N250k or three months imprisonment on any landlord that uses self-help in ejecting his/her tenant.

If you have the money and the time, file a criminal complaint at the nearest police station for it to be taken up from there.

Your landlady should have served you six months notice and after its expiration, give you 7 days owner's intention to apply to recover possession. Then if you still refuse or ignore to give possession, she can then approach court to get a valid order to eject you. We should stop celebrate illegality on the alter of sentiment, whatever you permit will increase.

Kindly take note also that you will also pay for every other days you stay in the house after 31st of May and also pay for all the utility bills.

One woman tried this with one of my clients, she will never try it again in her life after I was through with her.

calitobrigonte:
My rent expired on the 31st of May 2016. I have been away for sometime. So I went to move my things on the 26th of June 2016. I met a chain and padlock at my apartment. She hasn't given me an eviction notice! Honestly, I have not paid the electricity bills for about 4-5 months because there was an outstanding debt of 25k on the meter accrued by the last tenant, which the power company insisted must be cleared first. I plan to give her what I owe! Is she right to lock the apartment? What course of redress should I take? Pls if u must insult or call me names, make sure you also give a constructive advice. Thank you.

aalangel:



My dear, according to Land Law which I was very good in in school, you still have up to six months grace in that house after your rent expired. You can send me a mail to link you with a good lawyer.

thunder74:

What does it mean to lock one out of his apartment? Whether temporary or permanently, he has been temporarily ejected as at the time he was writing the complain. He can't enter, sleep in the house or take anything from his apartment. He was disposesed of his occupation at the time of the report.

thunder74:

I only offered pro bono professional advise. I was not advising him as his pastor ma. Check my signature.

specialpolice:
that's what u get when old-pretending-young hag happens to be your landlady. so i suggest u break the lock asap and move your tins!!!! like this, i owe my landlord by tomorrow 4months (48k) though hoping to pay by weekend but if he try such, hmmmm, well, he know that the outcome wont favour him!!!!!!

pato231:

Are you a Landlord?. When you do become one if not yet one, i hope you would not mind this same scenario playing out at yoir property with you being at the receiving end. These properties are investments for crying out loud, just the way we complain when our salary dont get paid. Home owners need their money to survive.

Oblongata:
am happy with this comment, so we still have some mature people here on nairaland who know what they are saying (not some small kids rushing to comment without knowledge). in Nigeria landlady cannot kick you out without recourse to court, and quit notice (which would still give the tenant 6 months to comply). thank you sir!!!

thunder74:

As I write this, I have many tenants that are owing rent and I did not kill them but only showed understanding. Some pleaded for more time that the country is hard. More so, the guy's tenancy and renewal was only due less than a month. The place was locked up before the arrival of the guy. We should not encourage lawlessness, we have procedures and that should be followed.

calitobrigonte:
My rent expired on the 31st of May 2016. I have been away for sometime. So I went to move my things on the 26th of June 2016. I met a chain and padlock at my apartment. She hasn't given me an eviction notice! Honestly, I have not paid the electricity bills for about 4-5 months because there was an outstanding debt of 25k on the meter accrued by the last tenant, which the power company insisted must be cleared first. I plan to give her what I owe! Is she right to lock the apartment? What course of redress should I take? Pls if u must insult or call me names, make sure you also give a constructive advice. Thank you.

olaremint:
Call this no and let us use the law to teach your landlady a lesson, 08066451167.

Skain:
Some landlords sha...
How much does she want to collect for 1month now, she should even be happy you're moving out after just 1month.

Op go and meet her and explain your situation with her she might pity you afterall.

pato231:

Daddy mature,Nobody here supports his apartment being locked but lets face it he was about to run with the rent and electricity bill, this would have doubled the existing one owed by the previous tenant.
Same way tou have shops to sell wares and turn over profit, this is exactly the same way these home owners need the rent to recoup their investment. When and if you do own a property, please let your tenants live rent free but until then advise your cohort to pay up his bills and clear any outstanding.