Lagos government asks residents to report landlords demanding more than one year’s rent

The Lagos state government has implored residents to report landlords or agents demanding more than one year’s rent.

Speaking on Thursday on ‘YOUR VIEW’, a TVC programme, Barakat Bakare, special adviser on housing to the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA), assured residents that the Babajide Sanwo-Olu-led government is working to minimise excesses by landlords, agents, and developers in the state.

Bakare noted that the state’s tenancy law is currently under review to address gaps in the regulation of caution fees, which has become a recurring source of contention between landlords and tenants.

She urged residents to either visit the physical office of the LASRERA or lodge a complaint via its website to enable the agency to investigate and sanction erring landlords.

“The minimum you can collect is one month’s rent. You can collect quarterly, every three months or a year, but nothing more than a year,” Bakare said.

“If we find the landlord wanting to collect more than one year, they can be reported to the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority at Block 21, First Floor in Alausa.”

She noted that the state government is in talks with landlords, property associations, and developers to promote fair pricing and responsible development.

The special adviser noted that allocations for state-owned housing are guided by strict and transparent criteria to ensure fairness and accountability.

She urged Lagos residents to verify the registration status of any agent or developer with LASRERA before entering into any property transaction.

“Times are hard. We are not here to make life harder for Lagosians. We are sitting with landlords, looking for a middle ground, and doing everything we can to make housing more humane and accessible,” Bakare added.

“There is a clear difference between the responsibilities of lawyers and agents in property transactions.”