The Ekiti State Government has announced plans to establish a Rent Tribunal to check excessive house rents and curb the exploitation of tenants by landlords and estate agents across the state.
The Special Adviser to Governor Biodun Oyebanji on Land and Mortgage Development, Dr Gboyega Oloniyo, disclosed this in Ado Ekiti during a one-day sensitisation programme themed “Connecting Homeowners and Making Accommodations Accessible to All in Ekiti State.”
Oloniyo said the government could no longer ignore the growing complaints of arbitrary rent increases, excessive agency fees and other charges imposed on residents seeking accommodation.
He expressed concern that Ekiti’s emergence as an investment destination had been exploited by some landlords and unlicensed estate agents, who allegedly increase rents whenever government infrastructure projects improve the value of properties in their areas.
According to him, the situation has made decent accommodation increasingly unaffordable for many residents.
“A landlord will put a house at N90,000 and it will get to the end user at N220,000. People are being cheated because of layers of obnoxious charges. This must change,” Oloniyo said.
As part of efforts to address the problem, he announced the establishment of the Estate Agents Committee of Ekiti State, which will comprise representatives of the government, landlords, estate agents, surveyors and valuers.
He said the committee would provide a platform for resolving complaints, regulating practices within the sector and sanctioning individuals found to be exploiting prospective tenants.
Oloniyo warned landlords and estate agents against taking advantage of the housing shortage to impose unreasonable charges, stressing that the state government was determined to make accommodation more affordable and accessible.
He added that the Oyebanji administration would soon introduce new housing projects while strengthening regulatory measures to ensure that residents receive value for the money they pay for accommodation.
The government also urged landlords, property developers and estate practitioners to cooperate with its efforts to create a more transparent and affordable housing market in Ekiti State.
