The Ekiti State Government has warned landlords and estate agents against charging “outrageous” house rents, particularly in cities and communities hosting tertiary institutions, saying such high and unjustifiable rents have become a burden to tenants.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing and Mortgage Development, Dr Gboyega Oloniyo, described the “high and unjustifiable” rents, which had become a burden to tenants, as unacceptable to the state government.
Oloniyo spoke at Iyin Ekiti in Irepodun Ifelodun Local Government Area during a one-day sensitisation programme with the theme, ‘Connecting estate agents and making accommodation accessible to all’, organised by the state government.
He hinted at government’s plan to regulate rents and establish a rent tribunal for sanity, while addressing a gathering comprising community leaders, landlords, rent agents and other stakeholders in the state.
The special adviser, who urged landlords and estate agents to charge rent responsibly towards maintaining a decent society, harped on the need for them to “partner with government by reviewing rent levels, improving housing standards and prioritising residents’ welfare.”
He said, “We are not unmindful of the cost of building materials and the fact that people should reap where they sow, but government will not tolerate excesses, particularly in the areas of activities of agents in the state whereby they put exorbitant charges on house rent.”
Oloniyo described the forum as a way to make accommodation more affordable for Ekiti residents, saying, “We need to carry people along, we need to let them know that government’s move is not targeted at home ownership.
” We are not going to erode anybody’s rights here, the most important thing is to ensure that tenants have value for their money.”
The Oluyin of Iyin Ekiti, Oba Adeniyi Ajakaye, assured that the community would co-operate with the government while calling for guidelines of operation.
Oba Ajakaye, represented by the Odofiyin, Chief Ayodeji Esan, said that the town would interface with the landlords and estate agents in the community to form a common front.
The Chairman, Real Estate Agents in Ekiti State, Mr Oluwasanmi Adeeko, noted that their association did not support arbitrary rent increments and assured of their readiness to work with the government.
Adeeko said, “As an association, we are ready to co-operate with the state government, we believe that government is looking for ways to make life comfortable for the people of Ekiti.
Participants at the meeting called for the formation of a task force, a rent regulation document and agents’ accreditation, in addition to urging government to build students’ residential hostels across various campuses.
Following rents that have gone up in communities hosting tertiary institutions in the state, including Ado Ekiti, Ikere Ekiti, Iyin Ekiti, Ilawe Ekiti, Oye Ekiti and Ikole Ekiti, the state government has organised similar stakeholders’ meetings in some of such towns to safeguard the interest of the staff and students of the schools, who are the targets of the hike in rents.
