I have noticed that in Nigeria, many tenants pack into apartments without any tenancy agreement provided by either the landlord or so-called lawyers managing such buildings.

This has caused so many unnecessary rifts between tenants and property owners. A document containing conditions that are expected to be fulfilled by both tenants and landlords is very necessary before a tenant pays for an apartment. Issues such as whose duty it is to fix facilities in the building when they breakdown should be clearly stated so that it won't result to fights and arguments or quarrels.

If a document is issued before a tenant pays to stay in an apartment, it will afford the tenant the opportunity to know if he/she can cope with the conditions/rules of the house or not.

If tenants are not expected to use generator beyond a particular time, it should be stated. If tenants are not allowed into the building beyond a particular time, it should be stated also.

In Enugu and some other places I have visited, greedy landlords, lawyers and property agents milk prospective tenants dry by collecting all sort of outrageous fees; agreement fee 50k, caution fee 50k, management fee 50k, agent fee 100k. All these evil fees are for a small one-room self contain that costs 150k. How can someone pay 250k service fee for a house that costs 150k?

The federal government and state governments in Nigeria should enact strict laws that take of these problems. Agencies should also be set up to punish people who do abide by the provisions of enacted laws.

Cc: Seun, Mynd44, Lalasticlala, Nlfpmod