By Joy Odor
The Bill seeking to restrict Landlords in Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to collect three months advance rent from residents seeking new apartment in the FCT not one year or two years has passed first reading in the floor of the Senate.
The bill titled Advanced Rent (Residential Apartments, Office Spaces) Regulation Bill 2022 was sponsored by Senator Smart Adeyemi (APC-Kogi-West) on Tuesday.
Senator Smart while speaking to journalists shortly after plenary, said the bill is targeted at cushioning effect of outrageous rents on properties on poor residents in the Federal Capital Territory.
According to him, the bill when fully considered and passed into law, would regulate rent collections from tenants to three months at first instance and subsequent monthly payments as against one, two or three years first payment being collected by property owners now with subsequent yearly rent payment renewal.
The Lawmakers noted that the bill was designed to compel the land lords in the FCT not to charge more than three months rent for those who are seeking new apartment and monthly subsequent payment.
He said the bill also seeks to ensure that tenants are not ejected untill after six months if they were not able to pay.
Senator Smart opined that it was important to put laws in place to protect the majority of Nigerians, who are poor, saying that there are many bills coming up that would protect the people.
“Many residents of FCT are finding it very difficult to cope with huge rent payment , the reason why many of the Houses built for such purposes are empty.
“The law is targeted at welfare and wellbeing of the downtrodden , majority of whom elected those holding public positions into offices.
“Some landlords always insist their tenants pay for one year or two years rent. That is wrong. By this bill, Nigerians especially Abuja residents will now be paying rent on monthly basis after the expiration of the initial three months.
“The law we are proposing stipulates a maximum advanced rent payment of three months. After the expiration of the three months rent, the tenants are expected to pay monthly.
“There are many tenants whose salaries are competing with their rents because they live in cities like Abuja”, he explained.
When reminded of the scenario that played out in Lagos when Governor Marwa implemented similar law but with stiff resistance from landlords , Senator Adeyemi said the law being proposed will take of such resistance by providing window of petitioning for any tenants forced to pay rents above three months .
“Most Nigerians need the protection of the law to be able to meet their basic needs after paying rents.
“Many landlords did not secure loans to build their houses, they are products of free money they acquire from the system, yet they make lives difficult for poor Nigerians who do not have such privilege of making ill-gotten money from the system and put up structures”, he added .
Senator, Adeyemi said it was important to begin to ensure that Legislations should not just be to impose penalty to the people.
He said there was an urgent need to enact laws that could directly affect the lives of the individuals in such a manner that Nigerians would be able to have three square meals and have a roof over their head
“Some of the problems confronting our nation today is the high level of corruption and if you take a look at Abuja in particular, you see so many uncompleted houses, some of them you don’t even know the owners.”
“Those, who own these property, they did not secure loans for them, they are free money that people have gotten, illegal monies, and put up structures.
“And this structure are put out in such a manner that an average Nigerians can not afford it.
“Why do you think that some junior people go into corrupt practices, a good number of them is the struggle and effort to get their rent paid.
“Ask those who are paying rent in Abuja, the landlord will ask them to pay two years rent.
“So I came to the conclusion that we must put the law in place that when you are going to take an apartment, the maximum of what a landlord should ask you to pay must be three months, after three months, you can then begin to pay monthly.
“You do not allow the society to live in a manner that people can be reckless in the so called what they have, whatever,they have in the way of assets, you must have the consideration that you have a duty to protect others, not to use your wealth to oppress people and make some people to commite succide.
“There are families that have broken up because the man of the house could not pay the rent, and some have been pushed out because the landlord asked them to pay for two years.
“If people will have to manage with their spouse to pay, we should be able to put the law in place in such that no body will be oppressed.
“I own my God and Nigerians to pursue laws to protect the people”, Adeyemi said.
The Lawmaker noted that he was also going to engage the Civil Society Groups (CSOs) and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to canvases more support for the bill.
