The Senate is making move to mandate landlords in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to collect three months rent only, from tenants.
Specifically, the lawmakers said the bill if passed into law will stop the regime where tenants pay bulk rents for apartments ranging from one or two years.
The bill was sponsored by the Senator representing Kogi West, Senator Smart Adeyemi, and passed first reading in Senate during plenary on Tuesday.
He explained that the bill is targeted at cushioning effect of outrageous tents on properties on poor residents in the Federal Capital Territory .
He added that the bill when fully considered and passed into law, will regulate rent collections from tenants to three months at first instance and subsequent monthly payments as against one , two or three years first payment being collected by property owners now with subsequent yearly rent payment renewal .
According to him:”Many residents of FCT are finding it very difficult to cope with huge rent payment , the reason why many of the Houses built for such purposes are empty.The law is targeted at welfare and wellbeing of the downtrodden , majority of whom elected those holding public positions into offices.
“Some landlords always insist their tenants pay for one year or two years rent. That is wrong. By this bill, Nigerians especially Abuja residents will now be paying rent on monthly basis after the expiration of the initial three months.The law we are proposing stipulates a maximum advanced rent payment of three months. After the expiration of the three months rent, the tenants are expected to pay monthly.There are many tenants whose salaries are competing with their rents because they live in cities like Abuja”.
