By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
Tenants have appealed to Niger state government to prevail on landlords to drop the planned upward review of house rent, particularly houses that have been in existence for over twenty years.
The plea on the Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago led administration to intervene and bring to an end what they termed exploitative tendencies of most landlords have become necessary due to the severeness of socio-economic hardship.
The call for the state government’s intervention is coming against the backdrop of rumoured meeting where landlords agreed on arbitrary upward review of house rent not minding the shape and ability to pass fitness tests of such houses.
While some tenants who spoke on the issue unanimously agreed that they are not totally against slight increase in rent by landlords or owners of houses where there is water, hand-dug ground well or bore holes, those of them that have houses existing for twenty years and above and lacking basic social amenities like water should be stopped from rent increase.
Mr. Ishyaku Abel, a tenant living at Fadipe area said he is particularly worried that owners of houses built over 20 years ago with no water, no major renovations are contemplating on upward review of rent.
Speaking against the backdrop of reported cases of landlords throwing their tenants out under flimsy excuses that the houses have been sold or that they want to carry out some repairs/renovation, Ishyaku wants the state government to step in and call landlords who are bent on adding to the sufferings of citizens to order.
Except for few locations or estates inside Minna metropolis, most houses built over twenty years ago according to him are not just old but sort of disasters waiting to happen, because the structures are already weak with holes habouring reptiles and other harmful predators.
Ishyaku said he wants the state government to come up with regulations that will protect tenants from shylock landlords and their agents who are only intrested in collecting monies without putting their houses in order fit for human habitation.
Also a landlord who has a rented house at Maitumbi area, Ishyaku who said he rented an apartment at Fadipe which is near his place of work told our correspondent that he increased the rent of his house of twelve years only twice just because he wanted to reduce the burden on his fellow citizens.
"I rented my own house of twelve years now, I chose to be a tenant because of my work. I increased rent only two times, as at now I have recovered the money I spent on the house, so whatever I get now is jara".
Ishyaku who said he planned to serve his tenants quit notice in the next five years if he is not able to build another house after his retirement said he is adding his voice to that of others calling on the Bago led administration to compel landlords to consider the plights of parents, civil servants in particular before taking actions on house rent. NNL.
