By Felix Kuyinu
An erstwhile governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola, has reaffirmed his position on the need to amend the Tenancy Law in the state to ensure less burdening rent payment.
Fashola urged the state’s House of Assembly to review the law which will compel landlords to collect six months’ rent from tenants and house seekers.
The former Minister of Works and Housing who took reigns as Governor of the state on two terms spanning 2007 till 2015 made this known on Wednesday at a Gala Night event organized by the Lagos House of Assembly in commemoration of 25 years of unbroken democratic governance in Nigeria.
Fashola, reminisced that he signed the existing Tenancy Law in August 2011 to enable landlords collect rent on annual schedule. However, he said that due to the present economic challenges, the Assembly should review the law which will compel house owners to collect six month rent and also protect tenants from shylock landlords.
“Nowadays, we watch skits and videos where landlords knocked at people’s doors and parents would hide and tell their children to tell the landlords that they were not at home,” Fashola hinted.
“We are using this law to protect landlords and citizens from shylock landlords.
“I remember that this House once started by reducing the tenancy agreement from three years to one year, which had its impact.
“At this time of economic challenges and cost of living issue, I think we can go back to the tenancy agreement where landlords should be compelled to collect three months to six months’ rent. This will help in no small way,” he said.