By Shakirah Adunola

Lagos Assembly lawmakers have called on the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to implement the Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2015 to stop deterring landlords from further engaging in illegal and unfair practices in the state.

The House also resolved to call on the Commissioner for Information and Strategy to sensitise the public by creating awareness of the rudiments of the Tenancy Law in the state.

This was a sequel to a motion moved by Sa’ad Olumoh on the need to curb excessive rent increments by landlords in the state. According to him, Section (37) of the Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2015 made provision against unreasonable increase in rent by landlords and also provided access to court for tenants seeking the protection of the law against such unreasonable increase in rent, thus making it illegal. He added that the incessant increase in rent is intensifying the rate of homeless people in our state.

Lending his voice, Desmond Elliot explained that in his constituency, Surulere I, the increment in rent has gone from 100 to 200 per cent. According to him, the reason for the increment by investors amounts to the growth and infrastructural development in the area, noting that this does not call for an arbitrary increase in rent.

He added that the Tenancy Law is meant to regulate activities of investors and the need to review the two years agreement, commission and legal fees in the law.