A
abujagirl
Guest
Some residents of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun, have expressed worry over the persistent increase in rent by landlords. The residents described the persistent increment was unjustifiable and exploitative.
They called on both the state and local governments to enact laws which would check exploitation of tenants. The residents further urged government to commence the construction of low income houses to help ease their burden.
Mr Aina Obadina, a spare parts dealer, who spoke to news correspondents said that his family could no longer cope with the hike in rent. He said that the monthly rent for his three-bedroom apartment had been increased from N5, 000 to N10, 000 by the landlord without explanation.
''This situation is becoming unbearable. Government needs to do something urgent to regulate the activities of these landlords,” Obadina said.
Mrs Abiodun Olagunju, a civil servant in local government council, said the N1,500 rent she used to pay monthly for her one-bedroom flat had been increased to N2, 500. Olagunju explained that all efforts to persuade the landlord to reduce the rent to N2,000, failed.
''I pleaded with him when he announced the increase in rent but he refused to listen, saying if I was not comfortable with it, I could pack out. The annoying thing is that he does not maintain the house. It does not have a decent toilet facility, neither is there water.
''Moving to a new apartment would even be more expensive, so we implore government to come to our rescue by enacting laws that will regulate house rent,” she said.
But reacting to the development, a landlord, Mr Olaide Omotosho,attributed the rise in rent to the influx of people into the town, especially students.
''The only solution is for more houses to be built because Ijebu-Ode’s population is growing by the day. The availability of more houses for rent would bring about competition which would in turn bring the house rent down,” Omotosho said.
They called on both the state and local governments to enact laws which would check exploitation of tenants. The residents further urged government to commence the construction of low income houses to help ease their burden.
Mr Aina Obadina, a spare parts dealer, who spoke to news correspondents said that his family could no longer cope with the hike in rent. He said that the monthly rent for his three-bedroom apartment had been increased from N5, 000 to N10, 000 by the landlord without explanation.
''This situation is becoming unbearable. Government needs to do something urgent to regulate the activities of these landlords,” Obadina said.
Mrs Abiodun Olagunju, a civil servant in local government council, said the N1,500 rent she used to pay monthly for her one-bedroom flat had been increased to N2, 500. Olagunju explained that all efforts to persuade the landlord to reduce the rent to N2,000, failed.
''I pleaded with him when he announced the increase in rent but he refused to listen, saying if I was not comfortable with it, I could pack out. The annoying thing is that he does not maintain the house. It does not have a decent toilet facility, neither is there water.
''Moving to a new apartment would even be more expensive, so we implore government to come to our rescue by enacting laws that will regulate house rent,” she said.
But reacting to the development, a landlord, Mr Olaide Omotosho,attributed the rise in rent to the influx of people into the town, especially students.
''The only solution is for more houses to be built because Ijebu-Ode’s population is growing by the day. The availability of more houses for rent would bring about competition which would in turn bring the house rent down,” Omotosho said.