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I was just offered a job and I was to move to Abuja to pick up my appointment. I have heard how expensive renting accommodation was in Abuja, but was told the only places one could secure cheaper house rent were in the city suburbs.
As the usual practice is, I went through property bulletins, searched online and other outlets to look for properties that were for rent for a starter like me. I got one, called the agent in charge, and we fixed an inspection appointment. When we got to the property, it was a six unit 2 and 3 bedroom flats with a two unit self-contain boys quarters. The property was just completed at the time so. Since I wasn’t there for the flats, myself and the agent simply went to inspect the self-contain BQ. I loved what I saw and made payment almost immediately. The rent was N350,000.
Afterwards, I was given a tenancy agreement to sign after which a copy was handed over to me to be kept for my personal record. Because of the excitement of just securing a new apartment, some specific features of the properties like the taps, the switches on the walls and sockets; were not properly inspected by me. Moving into the property, the issues started. Sockets weren’t properly working. Showers weren’t working effectively. In fact, there are times i will abandon the water in the house and go outside to fetch with a bucket.
The property wasn’t just functioning the way it should. I picked up my phone; put a call through to the agent. He said I should complain to the Landlord.
One frustrating evening, I got dressed, and went straightaway to the landlord’s house- about two streets away. On getting there, I met the man and we exchanged pleasantries. I introduced myself as one of his new tenants in his property (because we had not met prior to that encounter) and he acknowledged the fact. I then started explaining to him all the challenges I had been facing in the house since I moved in. The man simply responded: “there is nothing I can do about it”. I went further to say something like: “sir, this is a new property I just rented, and that all these features were supposed to be in shape for the tenant’s benefits.
The man simply responded: “go and fix them by yourself”. I probed further and said: with due respect, I just paid rent of about N350,000. I shouldn’t be the one expending any further expenses on your property considering the fact that I just moved in. The man looked at me and said: “Young man, leave my house right now”. I thought he was joking. He said it again: “young man, I said leave right now or I unleash my dogs”. I simply respected myself and then I left. It was a terrible experience.
When I got home, I narrated my ordeal to the agent. It was then he told me that the Landlord does not like taking responsibility on the house- all he wants is simply to collect rent monies. He further told me that the Landlord was an ex-military man, and he doesn’t like to be challenged. Had I known, I wouldn’t have rented the apartment in the first place. That incident was, and has remained so far, my worst experience with a Landlord.
