House Hunting In Lagos: Tears, agents and extravagant fees

By Aderinola Abimbola

The house hunting experience in Lagos is an extreme sport that is gradually being normalised. From the constant extravagant, never-ending fees, to agents who has made it their goal to stress you, finding a good house in Lagos has become a stressful necessity.

For many Lagosians, compromising on comfort and aesthetics is not an option, while for others, they just want a roof over their heads without breaking the bank.

While speaking with an internal migrant, P.M NEWS uncovered the reality of house hunters in Lagos. The migrant who asked to remain anonymous spoke about the constant request for money from scouting agents who publicise available apartments. She revealed that most agents requests for at least ten thousand Naira at the start of the conversation before physically embarking on an inspection.

The ‘house hunter’ is also required to cover the transportation costs of all the agents during the inspection process. One would think that the expenses would end there, but agents still demand a percentage of the agreed rent from the prospective tenant after he/she finally agrees on an apartment.

Asides the extravagant agent fees that have become mandatory, tenants are expected to meet up with the expectations of landlords regarding rent fees. The cost of a good looking and decent apartment in a good location in the state goes for nothing less than 1.5 million Naira, and some landlords demand rent that covers at least two years upfront.

“I saw a one-room apartment going for ₦2 million in a not-so-fancy area. When I got there, the place looked nothing like the pictures. I almost cried. I also had to pay for three different inspections in one day. By the end of it, I was tired, broke, and still homeless,” she said.

The imbalance that comes with the demand for housing in Lagos continues to give landlords and agents the upper hand, leaving Lagosians without an option to bear with it or risk being homeless.