Get Guardian on GoogleA lawyer and public affairs analyst, Oluwatodimu Ige, has blamed tenants’ vulnerability on ignorance of the law, and charged Nigerians to understand their tenancy rights to avoid exploitation and unlawful eviction by landlords.
Ige, who recently published a book titled ‘Know Your Tenancy Rights in Nigeria’, said the publication was inspired by recurring complaints from citizens seeking assistance over disputes involving abusive landlords and fraudulent agents.
According to him, the complaints revealed a widespread lack of
information about the legal protections available to tenants.
“It wasn’t one case but the same problem repeated in different words, ranging from landlords locking tenants out to removing roofs over unpaid rents.
“After a while, I realised that I was answering the same questions every week. Nigerians were not short of courage but information. So,
when the same issue keeps resonating, you don’t keep responding to them individually; you write a book”, he said.
The lawyer described the practice of landlords evicting tenants at the expiration of rents or over unpaid rents as one of the most misunderstood aspects of tenancy law.
He explained that under the applicable legal framework in Lagos State, landlords cannot resort to self-help measures such as changing locks, removing doors, disconnecting electricity or throwing tenants’ belongings outside to recover possession of their properties.
According to him, prescribed legal procedure, including serving the appropriate notices and approaching a court to recover possession, must be followed.
“Owing rent is a debt to be recovered, not a licence to harass tenants”, he said.
Ige also addressed the controversy surrounding agency and legal fees, particularly the widespread belief that agents and lawyers are automatically entitled to 10 per cent of a property’s rent, stressing that there is no universal legal rule prescribing a mandatory 10 per cent fee in every tenancy transaction but often based on prevailing practice and remained negotiable, subject to applicable laws and regulations.
He explained that the book was designed to help tenants understand the charges they are expected to pay and avoid spending money on unjustified fees.
“I wrote the book the way I talk on my page – like an elder brother who is a lawyer, with short chapters, plain English and everyday scenarios involving landlords and tenants.”
While the book centres primarily on Lagos State Tenancy Law, the
lawyer said its broader principles could help tenants in other parts of the country understand their rights.
Ige further advised tenants to insist on written tenancy agreements, obtain receipts for all payments and verify landlords and agents’ identities before paying for accommodation.
He also urged tenants facing unlawful eviction threats to seek legal advice rather than resorting to physical confrontation.
Ige said he remained committed to explaining the law accurately, even when his position is unpopular. “My job is to say what the law is, not what is popular. Sometimes, the law is not what people want to hear, and I will still say it”, he said.
Looking ahead, Ige promised additional publications on employment rights, police-citizen relations and property purchases, to address issues such as wrongful termination, unpaid salaries, employment contracts, citizens’ rights during police encounters and the risks associated with buying land from unauthorised persons.
