The Lagos State House of Assembly has directed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to enforce the Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2015 to address illegal and excessive rent increases by landlords. The resolution, passed during Tuesday’s plenary session, followed a motion by Hon. Sa’ad Olumoh, who highlighted the growing trend of arbitrary rent hikes across the state.
Citing Section 37 of the Tenancy Law, which prohibits unreasonable rent increases and allows tenants to seek legal redress, Olumoh warned that unchecked hikes were exacerbating homelessness in Lagos. Supporting the motion, Hon. Desmond Elliot revealed that rent in his Surulere I constituency had surged by 100 to 200 percent. While acknowledging infrastructural development, he argued it should not justify such increases and called for reviewing the two-year tenancy agreement term, agency, and legal fees.
Hon. Aro Moshood criticized landlords for ignoring tenants’ income levels and conducting evictions without legal due process, noting, “Many people earning minimum wage can’t even afford a room.” Hon. Shabi Adebola urged the government to provide more low-cost housing to support low-income residents.
Speaker Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa, in his ruling, stressed the need for a broader discussion, including the rising cost of building materials. He tasked the House Committee on Housing, chaired by Hon. Ege Olusegun, to summon stakeholders and agencies to explore lasting solutions. The House also resolved to engage the Commissioner for Information and Strategy to raise public awareness about the Tenancy Law’s provisions.
In a separate development, the Assembly passed the Lateef Jakande Leadership Academy Bill for the third time. Speaker Obasa directed the Acting Clerk, Mr. Abubakar Ottun, to forward a clean copy to the governor for assent.
Comments
Post a Comment