Lagos State declares estate agency fee illegal

Lagos State declares estate agency fee illegal

The Lagos State Government, in south-west Nigeria, has declared as illegal the payment of agency fees to landlords and estate agents by prospective tenants.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by the Commissioner for Justice, Mr Supo Shasore, the government said that the scarcity of accommodation should not be a justification for estate agents or landlords to charge agency fees. 

Tenancy bill

The statement said that the Tenancy Bill, which is at its third reading, would hopefully address the issue when passed into law.

The statement also decried the payment of more than six months rent in advance before the provision of accommodation.

Shasore said that the government had embarked on the training of its law officers on the use of forensic analysis as evidence in prosecution.

He explained that the training, being done in partnership with the University of Nebraska, Canada, would educate the law officers in forensic pathology which is a critical aspect of criminal justice.  

He added that eight law officers from the ministry were participating in the training that would lead to the award of master’s degree.

NAN/Williams