Ekiti Sets Up Tribunal To Regulate Escalating House Rents
The Ekiti State Government has announced the establishment of an estate agents tribunal, known as the Estate Agents Committee of Ekiti State, comprising representatives from various stakeholders to address arbitrary rent increases in the state.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Housing and Mortgage Development, Dr Gboyega Oloniyo, who announced the tribunal, said Ekiti’s profile as an investment destination had risen, adding, “We are now an investment hub and a lot of people will be coming in.
“They need to have a befitting shelter. So the government must ensure that people get value for money when it comes to estate rents and valuations in Ekiti State.”
Oloniyo spoke in Ado Ekiti on Saturday during a one-day house rent reduction sensitisation programme, themed ‘Connecting Homeowners and Making Accommodations Accessible to All in Ekiti State’.
The programme was attended by stakeholders in the estate sector, including government officials, landlords, estate agents, estate surveyors, and valuers.
Oloniyo noted that “Very worrisome is the emerging trend where public infrastructure investments are immediately followed by sharp and sometimes arbitrary rent increases by some property owners.
“In addition, the rising practice of excessive agency charges and ‘all-inclusive facility fees’ has further burdened tenants. These realities have made decent accommodation increasingly unreachable for many ordinary Ekiti residents.”
He added, “Government cannot fold its arms; we must ensure that things are properly regulated so that people are not cheated unnecessarily.
“People are being cheated now because of layers of obnoxious charges they call a total package.
“A landlord will put a house out at N90,000, and it will get to end users at N220,000. Things like this must change. That is why we are saying the government will not continue to fold its arms to see quacks or anybody make life difficult for people.”
Oloniyo urged landlords, estate agents, and community leaders to partner with the government.
“Today, we are calling on landlords, estate agents and community leaders to partner with government by voluntarily reviewing rent levels, improving housing standards and placing the welfare of Ekiti residents at the centre of property decisions,” he added.
He also highlighted government housing efforts, saying, “The state government under Governor Biodun Oyebanji is building a lot of estates now.
“There are many houses under this administration that are springing up in nooks and crannies of the state. In the provision of houses, Ekiti State Government too is doing a lot, but we still need to continue on that strength.”
Oloniyo appealed to the Federal Government to reduce building material costs.
“I strongly believe that the Renewed Hope agenda of President Bola Tinubu will touch on all these things. So we are calling on the FG to pay attention to that,” he added.
Olamilekan Adigun is a graduate of Mass Communication with years of experience in journalism embedded in uncovering human interest stories. He also prioritises accuracy and factual reportage of issues.
