Agency, agreement fees are illegal –Lagos Commissioner for Justice

Contrary to what is being practiced by virtually all the estate agents, the Lagos State government has described as being criminal, the practice by some agents who demand for agency and agreement fees from prospective tenants before they are offered accommodation as there is no law in the state that supports such. The Lagos State Commissioner for Justice, Supo Shasore made the clarification yesterday while fielding questions from newsmen during this year’s Ministerial Press Briefing commemorating Governor Babatunde Fashola’s fourth year anniversary in Ikeja, Lagos.

The commissioner, who acknowledged that though the demand for accommodation outstrips its supply, also added that there was no justification for any estate agent or landlord in the state to charge agency or agreement fee from tenant to be before being allowed to move into any rented apartment. Shasore further revealed that the State’s Tenancy Bill which aims at regulating the activities of the estate agents operating in the state was at its third reading before the State’s House of Assembly, hoping that it would be passed into law before the expiration of this democratic term in May this year. The commissioner, however, decried the situation where prospective tenants were made to pay for accommodation in more than six (6) month rent in advance before being offered accommodation which according to him has contravened the provision of the law.

SOURCE:
http://nationalmirroronline.net/news/10778.html

http://www.voiceofnigeria.org/Nigeria/Lagos-tenancy-bill.html

The bill in question is about 4 years now in lagos house of assembly. Its over a year I heard that cursed bill was about to be pased into law as they claimed it had gone through the 3rd reading. May be there is go-slow for that 3rd reading. We are dead sure it will never see the light of the day as Fashola and the Assembly are not interested in tackling Housing problems in lagos. Its just rhetorics. Smokescreen. Nothing de happen. For all they care, tenants can pay 4 years rent in advance. Its business as usual for landlords.