*Unveils tribunal to check escalating house rents
The Ekiti State Government has condemned the outrageous house rents in the state, as it announced the establishment of an estate agents tribunal, known as the Estate Agents Committee of Ekiti State, comprising representatives from various stakeholders to address arbitrary rent increases.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing and Mortgage Development, Dr Gboyega Oloniyo, who announced the tribunal, said Ekiti’s profile as an investment destination had risen, adding, “We are now an investment hub and a lot of people will be coming in.
“They need to have a befitting shelter. So the government must ensure that people get value for money when it comes to estate rents and valuations in Ekiti State.”
Oloniyo spoke in Ado Ekiti on Saturday during a one-day house rent reduction sensitisation programme, themed ‘Connecting Homeowners and Making Accommodations Accessible to All in Ekiti State’.
The programme was attended by stakeholders in the estate sector, including government officials, landlords, estate agents, estate surveyors, and valuers.
Oloniyo noted that “Very worrisome is the emerging trend where public infrastructure investments are immediately followed by sharp and sometimes arbitrary rent increases by some property owners.
“In addition, the rising practice of excessive agency charges and ‘all-inclusive facility fees’ has further burdened tenants. These realities have made decent accommodation increasingly unreachable for many ordinary Ekiti residents.”
He added, “Government cannot fold its arms; we must ensure that things are properly regulated so that people are not cheated unnecessarily.
“People are being cheated now because of layers of obnoxious charges they call a total package.
“A landlord will put a house out at N90,000, and it will get to end users at N220,000. Things like this must change. That is why we are saying the government will not continue to fold its arms to see quacks or anybody make life difficult for people.”
Oloniyo urged landlords, estate agents, and community leaders to partner with the government.
“Today, we are calling on landlords, estate agents and community leaders to partner with government by voluntarily reviewing rent levels, improving housing standards and placing the welfare of Ekiti residents at the centre of property decisions,” he added.
He also highlighted government housing efforts, saying, “The state government under Governor Biodun Oyebanji is building a lot of estates now.
“There are many houses under this administration that are springing up in nooks and crannies of the state. In the provision of houses, Ekiti State Government too is doing a lot, but we still need to continue on that strength.”
Oloniyo appealed to the Federal Government to reduce building material costs.
“I strongly believe that the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu will touch on all these things. So we are calling on the FG to pay attention to that,” he added.
The Chairman of the Ekiti State House of Assembly Committee on Lands, Housing and Physical Planning, Yomi Ayorinde, said, “We have listened to one another, we have identified areas where reduction can happen because affordable rents mean so well for everybody and the economy of the state.
“We have reviewed our position, and a committee has been set up. The committee will sit, and it will generate an actionable report.
“The House of Assembly, which I represent, will ensure that legal teeth are provided for such a report, convert the report into a law that is implementable, so that we can streamline or standardise the rates being collected by agents.
“On the part of the government, we have noticed that certain things need to be done, and we are going to be fast to do all of that and sanitise the system.”
The Director General of the Ekiti State Bureau of Community Communications, Mrs Mary Oso-Omotosho, said, “We will continue to have the conversation, so that we will have a lasting solution to the rate at which house rent is skyrocketing in this state.
“The committee set up on the occasion will see to the activities of estate agents, it will look at the rate, advise on the rate, will check on the activities and will also help where they need government intervention, especially with regards to legal frameworks that will help them to reduce the activities of quacks among them.”
Oloniyo had earlier disclosed during a meeting of government representatives with real estate stakeholders under the aegis of Estate Rent and Commission Agents of Nigeria, Ekiti State chapter, that the state government would soon enact laws and regulations to check arbitrary rent increases.
He said, “The governor is interested in making sure that in the real sector, we should moderate and have regulations that will make life easy for the citizens of Ekiti State.
“The governor wants to ensure that houses are not only available, but they should be accessible and affordable for the people.
“We will not relent on the issue of the bad eggs; flushing them out is our responsibility. The laws and regulations, by the time they are in place, will solve the issue of landlords raising their house rents arbitrarily.
“The laws that will be put in place soon will right the wrongs. The laws are coming.”
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