Renting in Nigeria Is Not for the Weak — Here’s Why
Rent in Nigeria? Phew! It's almost getting to the point where I say it's nothing to write home about. I mean…at some point it would make sense if one decides to be homeless, lol. But don't get me wrong, some places are quite alright, but the bad places are VERY BAD!
In Ahoada, the rent is pretty decent, and before, people said the place was like a village—undeveloped, that's why houses are so cheap there. But right now, I know of a new house, not perfect but quite modern, which costs 350k in Naira. Yes, the house is small and all that, but it's a decent one-bedroom flat with a rather big kitchen.
Portharcourt is the opposite of Ahoada when it comes to housing. I haven't even looked for a house by myself before, but the stories I have heard and things I have seen are not just it. Landlords in portharcourt are another thing altogether, especially those around school areas. Very wicked set of human beings that have seen a way to exploit students desperate for accommodation.
But before anything, let's talk about the trending and most common problem when it comes to housing in portharcourt—the house agents and caretakers that are growing even greedier than the landlords.
My aunt told me how she was looking for a house urgently, and she found this agent who carried her around on a hunt for a house. He carried her to a self-contained and she said she was tired, so she chose the house as it was the most manageable, and she likes new houses.
The agent carried her to the caretaker, and the caretaker told her the price was 420k.
Immediately, the agent took the caretaker to one side and they started speaking Igbo, they didn't know she understood Igbo. She said he told the caretaker he needed to pay his children's sports fee, and he should increase the rent so they would share the extra.
They tried what they planned and told my aunt the 420k was a mistake and the real price was 500k, but my aunt didn't agree and they didn't budge either. She paid the agent the registration fee and everything, and dropped him as her agent.
She found another agent who took her to that same house, and she ended up paying the 420k. The fraudulent agent came back threatening her, saying she had made him lose money he was supposed to get from the house, and she was going to pay him whatever he was supposed to get from the rent. He disturbed her, thinking he could scare her, but the moment she threatened him with police, he vanished.
If I am ever to look for a house apart from fraudulent agents and caretakers, other things I would look out for are electricity and water availability, and security. You would wonder, “How would somebody think of renting out a house without electricity or water?” but here in Nigeria? People will try to take advantage of you in any way they can.
I would inspect the house like I am a homicide investigator, I would even get information from the neighbors, because whoever is pitching a house to you would tell you whatever you want to hear, just to get your money.
If I were a landlord, the only way I could choose the tenants I want is by what I see. Maybe by the dressing and behavior from when I talk to the person, for example, I would think twice before renting out to someone who dresses and comes off as a cultist or gangster. But an exception is fraudsters, “aka yahoo boys"
No matter the results of my evaluation, I won't accept a fraudster as a tenant because I don't like them and they can't be trusted naturally.
In the end, the best way to avoid regrets is to do your homework before signing any rent agreement, whether as a landlord or a tenant. Because the normal rent duration in Nigeria is one year, and that's an awful long time to experience or live with a mistake.
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