By Shakirah Adunola
Lawmakers in the Lagos State House of Assembly have urged the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice to begin full enforcement of the Lagos State Tenancy Law of 2015 in a bid to curb illegal and unfair practices by landlords across the state.
They also resolved to call on the Commissioner for Information and Strategy to launch a public awareness campaign to educate residents on the key provisions of the Tenancy Law.
The resolution followed a motion raised by Sa’ad Olumoh, who emphasized the need to tackle the issue of excessive rent hikes. Citing Section 37 of the 2015 Tenancy Law, Olumoh noted that the law prohibits unreasonable rent increases and offers legal recourse for tenants affected by such actions. He warned that unchecked rent hikes are contributing to the growing homelessness crisis in the state.
Supporting the motion, Desmond Elliot, representing Surulere I, revealed that rent in his constituency has surged by 100 to 200 percent. He attributed this to infrastructural development in the area but insisted that such improvements should not justify arbitrary rent increases. Elliot stressed that the Tenancy Law was designed to regulate landlord-tenant relationships and called for a review of provisions related to two-year tenancy agreements, agency commissions, and legal fees.
