How to relate with difficult landlords in Nigerian cities

In Nigeria, the best places to understand the level of housing need in the country are the urban centres also known as cities. These are the places where just a few people live in decent houses in good locations while others live in what could best be described as squalor under sub-human conditions.

A lot more other people cannot even afford houses that they can call their homes. They either ‘squat’ with friends and relatives or live in shanties or makeshift accommodations.

In the big cities like Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt where house prices are quite high, making it difficult for a good number of people to buy or build, renting is the way to go.

In Lagos, for instance, over 80 percent of the city’s 20 million population lives in rented accommodation, according to Moruf Akinderu-Fatai, the state’s commissioner for housing who spoke at a real estate conference recently.

This means that the rental market in the city belongs to the landlords who, therefore, dictate what happens in the market. Some of them are good and accommodating while others are bad, wicked and intolerant, always exploiting tenants’ helplessness to their own advantage.

This is why finding an apartment to rent in Nigeria is not just about your budget. It is also about how you know your landlord or landlady will not make your stay miserable or hand you a quit notice after having a bad day.

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However, there are ways by which a tenant can handle a Nigerian landlord/landlady who is difficult to relate with before he gets his own property.

Bidemi Oyenuga, a property analyst at Realty Point Limited, lists some of these ways as effective communication, knowing your rights and documenting everything, creating a ‘realistic sack your landlord’ plan, seeking a third-party help and being a responsible tenant.

Effective communication, according to him, matters very much in landlord-tenant relationships, noting that Africans, especially Nigerians, are big on respect, but that should not make one a pushover. A tenant should communicate respectfully as he will have to meet people when he is having financial challenges.

Oyenuga advises that a tenant should know his rights and document everything. The tenant should familiarize himself with his legal rights so as to protect himself from unreasonable behaviour. He should keep records of all communication, including repairs, maintenance requests, and any interactions with his landlord.

For some people, their high taste in real estate is the cause of delaying their landownership status which is why Oyenuga advises such people to create a realistic ‘sack your landlord’ plan early because, as he put it, “your price is impatient.” He said that tenants should buy what they can afford in areas they can afford. “You don’t have to relocate to these areas immediately. They can be great investments for your future,” he said.

“A potential property buyer or renter should seek third-party help, in case of disagreement. If the direct resolution is proving difficult, involve a local housing authority, tenant advocacy group, or lawyer for guidance and support,” he said, adding that such as person should be responsible tenant by paying his rent on time, maintaining the property, and communicating openly with his landlord to foster a positive relationship.