new LAGOS TENANCY BIIL

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1 MILLION NAIRA FINE OR JAIL TIME: The new LAGOS TENANCY BIIL is coming for 'Self-Help' tactics.

The Lagos State Tenancy and Recovery of Premises Bill 2025 is designed to shift the power balance in the rental market. Here are the core provisions:

1. Rent Advance Limits

 * New Tenants: Maximum 1 year upfront.
 * Sitting (Monthly) Tenants: Maximum 3 months upfront.
 * Sitting (Yearly) Tenants: Maximum 1 year upfront.
 * Penalty: ₦1 million fine or 3 months imprisonment for landlords/agents who demand more—and tenants who offer more.

2. Agency & Fee Regulation

 * Registration: All agents must be registered with LASRERA.
 * Commission Cap: Agency fees are slashed to 5% (down from the common 10%).
 * Remittance: Agents must remit rent to landlords within 7 working days.

3. Eviction & "Self-Help" Bans

 * Criminal Offense: It is illegal to remove roofs, cut off water/electricity, or block access to the property to force a tenant out.
 * New Eviction Rules: If a tenant is in arrears for a "prescribed period," the landlord can bypass the long "Notice to Quit" and issue a 7-day Notice of Owner's Intention to Recover Possession.

4. Rent Increase Control

 * Right to Challenge: Tenants can apply to a court to declare a rent hike "unreasonable."
 * Anti-Retaliation: Landlords cannot evict a tenant while a rent-increase challenge is pending in court.

5. Transparency & Charges

 * Service Charges: Landlords must provide a written account of service charge spending every 6 months.
 * Security Deposits: Must be refunded at the end of the tenancy unless there is verified property damage.
 * Mandatory Receipts: All rent payments must be receipted with specific details (date, parties, property description, and period covered).

6. Faster Legal Processes

 * Timeline: Hearings must commence within 14 days of filing.
 * Modernization: Courts are empowered to hold virtual hearings and sit on weekends or public holidays to clear backlogs.

What do you think about these reforms??

#tenancylaws #lagosstatetenancyandrecoveryofpremisesbill2025 #landlordandtenant

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