The Enugu State House of Assembly has taken a significant step toward amending the 2004 Landlord and Tenant Law, as lawmakers passed a bill for a second reading during Tuesday’s plenary session.

The bill, sponsored by Okey Mbah, seeks to address the financial burden imposed on prospective tenants by regulating excessive charges such as legal fees, agency fees, caution fees, and caretaker commissions.

Mbah stressed that many tenants struggle to afford decent housing due to these unregulated costs.

“This second amendment bill is proposed to alter the provisions of the 2004 Landlord and Tenant Bill as amended in 2008,” Mbah explained.

“It is basically proposed to address the arbitrary and high cost charged by agents in Enugu State in the course of procuring house rents from prospective tenants.

“This high cost to prospective tenants comes with no regulations as the rent markets have become a free-for-all, with most persons posing as agents defrauding innocent accommodation seekers. These agents disappear without a trace, in most cases.”

The proposed amendment includes specific measures, such as capping agents and legal fees at 10% of the annual rent and abolishing additional hidden charges like caution fees and management bills.

During the debate, lawmaker Anthony Nwankwo (PDP, Awgu South) compared rental costs in Enugu to those in Lagos and Abuja, calling for an investigation into landlords who frequently increase rent.

Meanwhile, Hyginus Okoh (PDP, Enugu East Urban) cautioned that regulating agent fees might lead to unintended price hikes, citing past experiences with government-imposed fixed fees on surveyors.

Following the discussions, Speaker Uche Ugwu directed the House Committees on Housing and Judiciary to review the bill and submit their findings by March 25.