The Kogi House of Assembly is set to regulate tenancy arrangements, including rent increases and agency charges, as part of efforts to promote fairness and protect the interests of landlords and tenants.

The proposed legislation, known as the Kogi State Tenancy Law 2025, also seeks to regulate the activities of estate agents as well as introduce safeguards for parties involved in tenancy agreements.

Akus Lawal, the lawmaker representing Ankpa 1 State Constituency, disclosed this on Thursday in Lokoja while speaking after plenary on the submission of the Public Hearing report on the bill.

Mr Lawal said the legislation became necessary following the sharp increase in house rents, which had made accommodation increasingly unaffordable for residents.

Under the proposed law, all estate agents operating in the state will be required to register through the Kogi Ministry of Housing.

According to the lawmaker, the measure will enable the government to identify genuine estate agents, regulate their activities and enhance security within the property sector.

The bill also seeks to address excessive agency and related charges imposed on tenants.

Mr Lawal noted that some tenants currently pay between 15 per cent and 20 per cent in agency fees, caution fees and other charges.

“The proposed legislation will harmonise such charges into a single-use fee of less than five per cent, thereby reducing the financial burden on tenants.

“On rent increase, Lawal said landlords will not be permitted to arbitrarily increase rents without justification, particularly where there has been no corresponding improvement or renovation of the property,” he said.

Mr Lawal said that the proposed legislation was not intended solely to protect tenants, but would also safeguard the legitimate interests of landlords.

“Provisions will also address cases involving deliberate damage to rented properties and refusal by tenants to vacate premises after the expiration of tenancy agreements.

“Tenants who deliberately damage rented property will be required to restore it to an acceptable condition before vacating, subject to verification by the landlord.

“Fines and possible jail terms are being proposed for tenants found culpable of deliberate destruction of rented properties.

“As much, as we are protecting the tenants: we are also obligated to protect the landlords, so that we can have a balanced relationship between the two going forward,” Mr Lawal said.

The lawmaker further disclosed that the state government was making efforts to increase the supply of housing units, particularly for civil servants, to address the imbalance between demand and available accommodation.

He said that increased housing supply, coupled with effective regulation of the tenancy market, would help cushion the impact of rising rents and improve residents’ access to decent accommodation.

Mr Lawal expressed optimism that the proposed law, when enacted and effectively implemented, would promote greater transparency, accountability and fairness in the tenancy sector.

 (NAN)