5 Houses You Should Never Rent In Lagos
It is a state almost every tribe in Nigeria has made home. The state has a leading and proactive workforce so much that it is known as a place where people hardly sleep because it is business and bustling with activities all through.
Day after day, people all over Nigeria make their way down to Lagos and one very common reason is to seek greener pastures. People will not sleep on the road, of course. They need a house for shelter. As great as Lagos is, not all houses are advisable to rent. A number of them spell trouble for you.
When Femi and his wife moved to Lagos, it all felt good and a place like home until they came across a house which was their greatest mistake.
The first problem they had was the water issue. They didn’t know that the landlord pumped water whenever he felt like and if he didn’t feel like pumping for a month, every tenant had to sort themselves out. They fought about this for months but the house owner didn’t budge.
Before that, they had been asking the landlord to do some repairs because most of the rooms had issues which he refused to oblige. This got them upset and they had paid so much. Anyone who has an idea about Lagos rent would understand how expensive houses are.
Whenever it rained, the whole house got soaked with water. These issues caused permanent friction between them and the Landlord and eventually, they had to find another apartment. This experience taught them lessons and became what they watched out for before paying for rent in other places
Which house should you avoid renting in Lagos?
1. Houses with so many things to repair
Some houses are close to wreckage in terms of having all the facilities gone bad or faulty. Renting such an apartment is creating problems that should never have existed. Oh, you assume Landlords should repair them? No, they won’t. You can hardly meet a landlord that would be willing to do that for you.
Some wreckages are beyond redemption and the only solution is to strip the house and renovate it from top to bottom. No number of repairs would work out fine and be long-lasting. A house in such a state is already dilapidated.
2. Houses where the Landlord lives and still look bad
This may sound weird but if you come across a house where the landlord lives and such house still looks so bad, then you should have a quick dialogue with your legs. Such houses “go hook you for your throat.”
House investment is a property anyone ought to maintain and keep right. If the property owner is comfortable with its shabby status, then it’s not a place you should ever want to consider for rent.
3. Houses that are not ready to disclose NEPA bill for potential occupant
This situation is common in Lagos. Houses have bills piled up so much that it’s almost equivalent to rent price. Landlords hardly ever want to disclose this part to potential occupants because they know it would likely chase them away.
But for your good, ensure that you ask for the recent NEPA bill so you don’t pay for a house and also pay bills that aren’t your responsibility.
4. Houses with too many tenants
This house is commonly known as “face me, I slap you”. This kind of house has too many occupants from different backgrounds and whether you like it or not, there are places you have to share within the house which may lead to misunderstanding all the time.
If you value your peace, it’s not advisable to go for it unless you are very much used to such a setting.
5. Houses with a school on the same premises
You may not know but it’s possible. Most private schools do not have their personal property, so they rent buildings or apartments depending on what they can afford.
There are cases of schools renting an apartment inside the same premises as a residential apartment. Imagine how problematic that is, having a school in the same compound with residential occupants?