What should I do as a tenant?
I paid 200k for a one-year rent of a hostel/room in 2024, and the landlord was paying NEPA bills, but increased to 250k in 2025 and has refused to pay NEPA bills, all this without notice. What should I do as a tenant?
Respuestas de Abogados
Damossy Legal Consults
1. Check Your Tenancy Agreement (if any)
- If you signed a tenancy agreement in 2024, check whether electricity (NEPA) bills were included in the rent.
- If the landlord unilaterally stopped paying without notice, that’s a breach of tenancy terms.
2. Notice for Rent Increase
- Under Nigerian tenancy law (e.g., Recovery of Premises Act and similar state laws), a landlord must give proper notice before increasing rent — typically 3 to 6 months’ notice depending on the tenancy type.
- Increasing rent from ₦200,000 to ₦250,000 without proper notice is unlawful.
3. Electricity Bill Responsibility
- If the landlord previously paid but now shifts the burden to you without agreement or notice, you can challenge it.
- They must either reduce rent to reflect the new responsibility or formally notify you ahead of time.
4. What You Should Do
- Write to the landlord (keep it polite but firm) requesting clarification: Why was the rent increased without notice? Why did they stop covering NEPA bills?
- Document everything (messages, receipts, discussions).
- If the landlord refuses to address it: You can petition the rent tribunal or magistrate court for relief. In many states, tenants can seek a review of unfair rent increases and sudden charges.
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