Lagos Govt Warns Landlords: Don’t Collect More Than One Year Rent – LASRERA Advises Residents To Report Offenders

 

The Lagos State Government is stepping up its efforts to protect tenants from unfair housing practices — and this time, they’re calling on the people to help.

Barakat Bakare, Special Adviser on Housing to the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA), has urged residents to report any landlord or agent asking for more than one year’s rent in advance. She made this appeal while speaking on TVC’s popular morning show Your View on Thursday.

According to Bakare, the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is actively working to tighten Lagos’ tenancy laws, especially to address common complaints like caution fees, which often lead to disputes between landlords and tenants.

She said, “The minimum you can collect is one month’s rent. You can collect quarterly, every three months or a year, but nothing more than a year.”

Bakare made it clear that landlords demanding more than a year's rent are breaking the rules and can be reported directly to LASRERA. “If we find the landlord wanting to collect more than one year, they can be reported to the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority at Block 21, First Floor in Alausa,” she said. Reports can also be made online through LASRERA’s official website.

To make sure everyone gets fair treatment, Bakare explained that the state is holding ongoing talks with landlords, developers, and property associations to promote fair pricing and responsible housing. She also emphasized that allocations for government-owned houses are handled based on transparent guidelines to ensure fairness.

Bakare also gave a strong warning to tenants to be careful when dealing with agents or developers. Before making any payment, she advised them to check if the person or company is registered with LASRERA.

“Times are hard. We are not here to make life harder for Lagosians. We are sitting with landlords, looking for a middle ground, and doing everything we can to make housing more humane and accessible,” she said.

Finally, she highlighted the importance of understanding roles in property transactions, pointing out that lawyers and agents have different responsibilities — and knowing who does what can prevent problems later on.