JUST IN: Senate approves bill seeking to make Abuja landlords collect rent monthly

 

The Nigerian Senate has passed a bill seeking to regulate rent payments in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) for second reading.

The proposed legislation, sponsored by Senator Smart Adeyemi (All Progressives Congress, APC, Kogi State), specifically seeks to stop yearly advance payment of rents and compel house owners to collect rent monthly in arrears.

Adeyemi said many properties in Abuja were empty because of the outrageous rents placed on them.

“Many residents of FCT are finding it very difficult to cope with huge rent payment, the reason many of the houses built for such purpose are empty.”

He said some landlords always insist their tenants pay one year or two years rent.

“That is wrong. There are many tenants whose salaries are competing with their rents because they live in cities like Abuja,” he said.

Speaking on the issue, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi (APC, Niger), described the proposed law as people-centred and urged his colleagues to support its passage.