Gov Fashola Bans Two Year Rent In Lagos, Landlord Will Be Jailed

GovHey peeps, i haven’t blogged in a while, but this topic got me really interested and i decided to share with you. Paying rent in Lagos has always been like hell. But the good news is, the long awaited Tenancy bill has been passed. Any landlord who refuses to go by this law will be jailed or pay a huge fine.


The tenancy bill stipulates that it is unlawful and criminal for a landlord or his agent to demand or receive from a sitting tenant, rent in excess of six months in respect of any premises without prejudice to the nature of tenancy.


This means that those who are already tenants are not expected to pay more than six months in advance to their landlord. Hitherto, tenants were compelled to pay for even more than two years in some cases.


The bill places a fine of N100,000 or three years imprisonment on any landlord or new tenant who pays in excess of one year and N100,000 or three months imprisonment for any landlord who fails to issue a receipt to a tenant for payment of rent.


The bill captioned: “A bill for a law to regulate rights and obligations under tenancy agreement and the relationship between landlord and the tenant including the procedure for the recovery of premises and for other connected purposes in Lagos State,” states that “it shall be unlawful for a sitting tenant to offer or pay rent in excess of one year for a yearly tenant in respect of any premises and any person who receives or pays rent in excess of what is prescribed by the law shall be guilty of an offense and shall be liable to a fine of N100,000.”“