Lagos improves tenancy laws to attract Investment, standardise property management

The Lagos State government, on Tuesday said it has commenced an improved justice administration system to reform the state’s Landlord-Tenant law, in a bid to encourage real estate business.

The Lagos State Attorney General (AG) Mr Lawal Pedro (SAN) made this known at a press conference in Lagos.

Pedro said that the ministry had presented a bill to the Lagos State House of Assembly, to reform the state’s Landlord-Tenant law, so as to fastrack its litigation in court.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, the event aimed to keep the public up-to-date with the workings of the ministry, and focused on citizens’ rights and seamless access to justice.

The AG advocated for compliance with laws, describing delays in tenancy matters as being injurious especially to landlords who are mostly at the receiving end when cases linger in court.

“We are working to see that tenancy cases are done within a three-month period, to encourage people to build for rent.

“It is going to be a win-win situation for both the tenant and the landlord; the reform law will not be administered to hurt the tenant in favour of the landlord.

“If tenancy cases should last more than necessary as we have it now, it discourages investment in the real estate; Many of the developers build with loans and need to recoup and pay back loans.

“But when tenants delay justice administration to hold property owners to ramson while still occupying the property without payment while the case lasts, is injustice,” he said.

The AG noted that the Citizen Mediation Centre in every local council of the state, the Office of the Public Defender and the Directorate of Citizens Rights, were arms of the justice ministry positioned to provide legal services to indigent persons