The special adviser to the governor of Lagos State on Housing, Adetoke Benson-Awoyinka has said it is in the interest of the public and real estate practitioners, to register with the state government.
Benson-Awoyinka spoke, weekend, at a forum with real estate practitioners and other stakeholders in the built sector on how to improve the in the 21st century, which held in Ikeja.
According to her, the registration would protect accommodation seekers from falling prey to fraudulent practitioners and will also increase public confidence in genuine practitioners.
She also declared as illegal practicing real estate business in Lagos without a valid Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) license.
The special adviser further noted that beyond the aforementioned reasons, the need to protect the lives and property of all residents of the Lagos is a constitutional responsibility that the government cannot abdicate.
This, she explained, has made it mandatory for the government to coordinate, regulate and register genuine practitioners in the real estate business.
“Let me emphasise that engaging in real estate transactions without registering with the state government or obtaining necessary approval is a punishable offence under the law”.
The special adviser, who pointed to several media reports about people who have felt victims of fraudulent real estate transactions, said the state government can no longer allow fraudulent practices to thrive.
“Just recently, a physically challenged couple were duped in Mushin by a real estate agent while they were seeking for accommodation. This development which is becoming a daily occurrence in Lagos property market must be corrected and may not have happened at all if all parties involved are registered with the government”.
The forum, she said, became imperative to allow the government and all stakeholders in the sector interact and brainstorm on best to protect accommodation seekers from scanners.
“We must all join hands with this administration so that the unregistered practitioners and those with ulterior intentions would be identified and eliminated from the real estate business in Lagos,” said Benson-Awoyinka.
She, however, appreciated the support of the stakeholders to the state government since the establishment of Lagos State Real Estate Transaction Department which has now been upgraded to the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA).
She noted that under the LASRERA law, dissatisfied residents now have the right to forward their complaints to the agency and if the agency discovers that their rights have been violated, legal proceedings would be instituted against such practitioners according to the provisions of the law.
Joshua Bassey
