Gbadegesin19:
Get married to CeeC

Malawian:
Okay, so I got a 3bd flat I am renting, but decided to sublet 2 of the spare rooms as I don't really need the space yet and also that it should help to bring down the overhead.

problem now is, the tenants are not paying for anything. Not even rent or Nepa or other utilities and I have been the one taking care of the costs up till now.

I just finished paying the rent to the landlord 2 months ago, and the sublet has also expired. I wrote them a note late last year indicating that I will not be renewing their sublet for this year.

Now, I got a lawyer to serve them a notice to quit last month and the notice is meant to run for a month. as I am here now, it doesn't look like they are even bothered about the notice.

one of them actually locked up the room since January and has not been available to pick up the quit notice, he does not pick my calls nor answer my messages. Even the ones sent on FB which indicates he has seen them do not also get a reply.

The Lawyer in question also seems to be a busy man and was supposed to be around last week to brief me but I don't seem to get ahold of him that much.

As we know, we Nigerians can be very devious and unscrupulous ( Bubu said so ), Like the one that has locked up the place since January, he could claim he has valuables or money missing should I force the place open, even though I know the room is empty, save for curtains and a foam.

The other one who actually stays there 247 seems to be looking to pick a fight that can be a pretex for a court case.

Honestly, I will like to know how to go about getting those guys out of my flat, considering that if I should pack out of there, they also has to pack out.

Lawyers, etc, any suggestions will be appreciated.

I full ground with una here for background.

sisisioge:
Once the notice elapses, just change the locks to the main entrance and travel for 3 days. I'm sure no one would dare break the door. The one that locked up too won't have access until you are on ground.


This is why I'm super reluctant to share another flat, my DJ flattie now is a wonderful human being. Who knows, I might meet your kind of flatmates if I dare change. It is well o.

Malawian:
Okay, so I got a 3bd flat I am renting, but decided to sublet 2 of the spare rooms as I don't really need the space yet and also that it should help to bring down the overhead.

problem now is, the tenants are not paying for anything. Not even rent or Nepa or other utilities and I have been the one taking care of the costs up till now.

I just finished paying the rent to the landlord 2 months ago, and the sublet has also expired. I wrote them a note late last year indicating that I will not be renewing their sublet for this year.

Now, I got a lawyer to serve them a notice to quit last month and the notice is meant to run for a month. as I am here now, it doesn't look like they are even bothered about the notice.

one of them actually locked up the room since January and has not been available to pick up the quit notice, he does not pick my calls nor answer my messages. Even the ones sent on FB which indicates he has seen them do not also get a reply.

The Lawyer in question also seems to be a busy man and was supposed to be around last week to brief me but I don't seem to get ahold of him that much.

As we know, we Nigerians can be very devious and unscrupulous ( Bubu said so ), Like the one that has locked up the place since January, he could claim he has valuables or money missing should I force the place open, even though I know the room is empty, save for curtains and a foam.

The other one who actually stays there 247 seems to be looking to pick a fight that can be a pretex for a court case.

Honestly, I will like to know how to go about getting those guys out of my flat, considering that if I should pack out of there, they also has to pack out.

Lawyers, etc, any suggestions will be appreciated.

I full ground with una here for background.

gift01:
Pack out without their notice. You should cut your coat according to your cloth. Get a self con. You spoilt them by not constantly keeping tabs with them in terms of monthly bills and it got to their head that they can toy with you. Don't even think of marrying or raising your kids there. You will surely get better apartment. I have said my little advice

GGirll:
Nobody thought of your safety after evicting them with police,soldier or lawyer...they can plan you up n even kill you since they know your house n routines....just quietly save n rent a house n move on .. delete them from Facebook n change your line if possible just silently disappear n never reconnect with them again they are bunch of ingrates n parasites...I rest my case.

Malawian:

Thought provoking

naijainfogalery:
Number 1. What did you need a 3 bedroom flat for, you sound single , if you were married is a different case or using the other rooms as an office.

Anyways let's get to the main case, my dad is a landlord and I know how some tenants sometimes can be funny. If I were in your shoes. I wouldn't renew, I will just take excuse from Landlord to gimme 2 months, then when they won't be expecting I will get a new flat, self con preferably then move without telling them, these are the possible scenarios
a. Landlord didn't give them the house so he wouldn't even look at their faces to eject them
b. They are on a monthly payment plan and their payment has expired they can't sue you


But now that they wouldn't leave
a. Do not make any attempt to break their door, the moment you do haa that's when someone will tell you 10 million was in the room
b. Start by cutting off electricity to their rooms
c. Then change the main lock to your room, lock it up for 2 days without coming home but be prepared to be locked out too but anyone that mistakenly tries that, Just use community street shouting type to send him off your house, neighbors will add mouth to the matter
d. Unfortunate you can't do c because cohabiting another tenants and collecting money was against the agreement the landlord issued.

Intact all of una be the same thing

OgaDonald:


You Don't Need to Stress yourself

Kindly Ask the Guy below ... and leave the Rest ....

OgaDonald:


You Don't Need to Stress yourself

Kindly Ask the Guy below ... and leave the Rest ....

Earthbound:
I'm pretty sure in the agreement you signed, your landlord must have indicated that subletting rooms in your flat is prohibited. Your flatmates probably have this knowledge too and are using it to f**k with you. Calling a lawyer won't do much. You have to use unconventional means to kick them out.

greggng:
I am not a lawyer but subletting is illegality. Your agreement does not support such. Having said this, do you have any agreement with your flatmates? Do you issue them receipt the first time they paid you? If non of this exist, kindly get soldiers to throw them out . Even if they decide to act , claim you are only doing them a favour but you are getting married and needed to have your privacy. Since no evidence to show that they pay you, no case submission will be the end. They might wanna claim they transfer to your account ,claim is part of their money for feeding and bills since you are doing them a favour , you only ask that they pay for light, dustbin and feeding. Is not fair you married a wife to a man and also buy him bed to sleep with her. That will make him a lazy youth or man.

Malawian:

Well, I already got some ideas from this thread, like cutting off the electricity to their rooms. while my lawyer does what he does, Even though that one does missing in action a lot.

pemiakd:
Tell them ur family re moving in and u will need their rooms. Simple

Chyx101:
Jux tie a red cloth to a calabash and put powder inside. Place it on ground close to your neighbors door

Malawian:

Well, I already got some ideas from this thread, like cutting off the electricity to their rooms. while my lawyer does what he does, Even though that one does missing in action a lot.

Earthbound:
I'm pretty sure in the agreement you signed, your landlord must have indicated that subletting rooms in your flat is prohibited. Your flatmates probably have this knowledge too and are using it to f**k with you. Calling a lawyer won't do much. You have to use unconventional means to kick them out.

Since and 'if' subletting is illegal, then any and all acts that arise from such subletting, are also ILLEGAL in law.
Those "flatmates" are not tenant but illegal squatters.

Daboomb:


It does not matter.

"He who must come to EQUITY, must come with clean hands".
Since and 'if' subletting is illegal, then any and all acts that arise from such subletting, are also ILLEGAL in law.
Those "flatmates" are not tenant but illegal squatters.
Using unconvetional means that are 'unlasful' will also expose him to litigation, if he is dealing with flatmates that are smart and know the law.

Malawian:
I have done all the above, except the DPO and soldier stuff. Although my main guy is a naval officer, he is no longer stationed in Lagos.

As to how I still pay the rent there, it is a nice place, and once I get a wife (which is what I am working on now) I intend to raise kids there.

Honestly, the issue of non payment has been going on for a few years now, but I never really felt it cos I was making enough to cover them, but things are no longer funny, coupled with marriage quest.

As to how I got the people living there, they one who stays there 247 was introduced to me by a customer in my shop, while the one who locked up the place was introduced by the very agent that helped me secure the flat.

It was all good until they figured they can't he arsed about anything since they have me to foot the bills as the owner of the flat. Even Landlord and other tenants in the compound thinks they are my brothers.

annoying thing about all these is that it is not like they don't have money to pay, maybe because I gave them free hand there, they fogot themselves.

I want to know if anyone has faced such situation. I didn't give an agreement to the one who stays 247, while I gave to the other. I gave them a receipt for the first time they came in, but I haven't given them any receipts for the past two years, probably because they don't pay, or pay in batches or incomplete.

they haven't even completed last year's rent, and last time I got Nepa money from them was around September last year.

Am never really at home, I come back from work around 9pm And leave before 8am. So never had the opportunity to have a firm hand with them.

Daboomb:
I read every one of the comments here and it saddens me that these are the kind of response one would get from the "average Nigerian"!
Nothing cerebral at all, just a couple of time-wasting suggestions that have no bearing on the issue in discuss.

There is a Tenancy Act 2013 (as amended), in operation in the state.
I want you to download it AND READ IT. There is a particular section that deals with 'sub-letting'
I would have just written the applicable areas here for you (I have done that in the past, on similar Tenancy issues) but l think l want to encourage you and others to at least know the laws that guide all of us (Tenants and Landlords) so that when we act, we do so within the ambits of the law.

I am also worried that you say you have rented a place for almost five years, without tenancy agreement!
Please, even if you are renting from your parents (as long as money is exchanging hands), it a 'contractual arrangement' and should be documented...... for 'unforseen' situations like this.

As a form of heads-up for you, read section 14, 15 and 44 -Sub 3b properly.

There are two ways to go about this:

1- Go to the nearest magistrate court to you and ask to be given form TL4 (Seven (7) days notice of intention to recover possesion) and post it on their doors,if they refuse to collect it (take proper pictures/vidoe on your phone, that will prove beyond any reasonable doubt, that the Notices were duely pasted or tip a baillif to do so for you). This is what your 'Lawyer' should have done for you.
After the expiry of the 7-days Notice, you go back to court to ask for an order of court to give you a Bailiff to forcefully open the door and remove the contents, while being issued with a Warrant for possession Certificate TL10.

It should not take more than one month, if your Lawyer is not working against you, since you dont seem to have the time to do it yourself. (Be 'nice' to the court registrar as well )

2.) if there was no written agreement between You and these occupants or any proof of tenancy, in law, they are called "Licenses" and they are simply living there ar your pleasure (note that l said "if" ).
Since you are on good terms with the Landlord's agent, let him write you that they notice that there are "unknown people SQUATTING in your flat" and that those people should leave the place.
You then write him back that they do not live there but just asked that they "squat there for a few weeks" and you have asked them to leave.
Since they are Licenses, they are not protected under the law, like "legal tenants".

Change the entrance and inside door locks immediately. (If they attempt to break it, just ensure you film them doing so, dont even fight them! Evidence is very important at this stage)
You simply tip some security force (military preferable), open their door and throw their things out, then Report them at the nearest Police station for TRESSPASSING into your Flat (never agree that they are renting from you....always maintain they are just squatting with you).


It is now left for them to prove that they have a "legally enforceable tencancy" with you or in that Flat.
They can go to court but you will eventaully win,
Since it appears that they are "troublesome and capable of violence", you will need the protection of a secuirty agent to deal with any violence they may want ot perpetuate, once they notice that their load has been thrown outside .... but you come across as a soft person and l am not sure yo u have the liver for this. .

My two cents