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The journey to finding a suitable rental property in Nigeria is often fraught with challenges, particularly navigating the murky waters of rental practices dominated by estate agents. BABATUNDE TITILOLA writes on how many prospective tenants find themselves ensnared in a web of unexpected fees, especially for property inspections, leading to frustration and financial strain
The response was sharp and defensive: “Please, who are you, and who gave you my contact?”
It was a Tuesday morning when this reporter reached out to a Lagos-based house agent.
“I’m Babatunde. I need a one-bedroom flat or a studio apartment, and my budget is between N800,000 and N1m,” he replied, hoping for a straightforward process.
“There are no houses for that budget in that area for now. A room in a shared duplex goes for N1.3m. The total package is over N2m. Self-contained is N2.2m,” the agent shot back.
He added, “If you can come to Adeniyi Jones, we can get some available units, but you’ll need a more improved budget.”
After two days of back-and-forth conversations, with the reporter adjusting his preferences and stretching his budget, the agent finally agreed to arrange an inspection.
But there was a catch.
“Hope you are aware of my inspection fee? Na small money—N25,000.”
The fee wasn’t the shocker. What stunned the reporter was the agent’s next revelation: the payment covered viewing just two apartments, both in the same compound. If neither was suitable, another inspection fee would be required to see other options.
Unsettling reality of house inspections
Searching for a home in Nigeria has become a frustrating ordeal, as many prospective tenants face an unsettling reality—estate agents demanding hefty fees for limited property viewings while leading clients to properties that often fail to match their requirements.
This exploitative practice, as investigations reveal, doesn’t just drain finances but leaves tenants feeling trapped and misled.
As the housing crisis deepens, the integrity of Nigeria’s real estate market seems to be teetering on shaky ground.
In a nation where access to comfortable and secure housing is a fundamental need, a disturbing trend has emerged—estate agents exploiting the desperation of prospective tenants to maximise profit.
Many house hunters, desperate to secure a suitable home, pour time and money into multiple inspections, only to be shown properties that fall far short of expectations—whether due to poor locations, subpar amenities, or prices wildly exceeding their budgets.
This troubling pattern has tainted what should be a straightforward house-hunting experience, turning it into a frustrating cycle of financial strain and unmet promises.
N5m and still impossible to get a house
Frustration echoed in Oladapo Olakunle’s voice as he recounted his harrowing experience with Lagos house agents.
A graphics artist, he had once dismissed the sad stories of house hunting as exaggerated. But two gruelling months of dealing with brazen agents shattered that belief.
Now, he finds himself trapped—desperately searching for a new home while trying to evade extortionists who prey on helpless tenants.
His ordeal began in November 2024, when his landlord abruptly announced plans to sell the property.
Initially, the tenants assumed the sale wouldn’t affect them if they renewed their rent. But reality hit hard.
“I thought it would be a simple handover from one landlord to another,” Olakunle explained. “But once the sale was finalised, the new landlord told us we had to leave.”
With a February deadline looming, Olakunle, who had lived in the apartment for nearly three years, was thrust into the chaotic Lagos rental market.
“I used to think struggling to find a house was all about money,” he said. “But this experience has shown me it’s far worse than that.”
Armed with a N5m budget, he believed his search would be smooth. Yet, months later, he remains without a home.
“It’s not that there aren’t houses,” he lamented. “But the ones I’ve seen aren’t worth that money. Some are in dirty and noisy environments. Worse, multiple agents advertise the same apartments, making it impossible to know who to trust.”
A ruthless cartel
Just like this reporter’s encounter with a house agent demanding N25,000 to inspect two apartments, Olakunle has spent over N100,000 on inspections since November—yet he remains without a suitable home.
Audacious house agents
“Even the smallest inquiry about an apartment triggers a demand for inspection fees,” he explained. “It used to be around N5,000, but now it’s a flat N10,000. And for that amount, you’ll be shown just three apartments—if you’re lucky.”
Relentless exploitation
“Some agents will promise you won’t pay until they secure an apartment for you—it’s a lie. Once they collect your money, and send you listings you can’t even consider, they then disappear once you reject a few options.”
Olakunle recalled paying N20,000 for an inspection on January 4, only to be met with crushing disappointment.
“The apartment was completely unsuitable. I was so angry and stormed out,” he said. “But of course, the ₦20,000 was gone.”
Exploitation beyond inspection fees
The financial bleeding doesn’t stop there. Findings by Sunday PUNCH revealed that house agents also collect commissions on every rent paid, further compounding the financial burden on prospective tenants.
“If a house costs N2m per year, you’ll often end up paying nearly double after agency and legal fees,” Olakunle explained bitterly. “And that’s after they’ve milked you for multiple inspection fees.”
His voice rose with frustration as he added, “This is ridiculous! Lagos has tenancy laws, but the enforcement is a joke. If the laws were properly implemented, these agents wouldn’t dare be this heartless.”
What stings the most, he said, is the complete lack of accountability.
“There are no receipts for these inspection fees. They might seem small at first, but when you calculate it all, you’ll be shocked by how much you’ve wasted—just trying to find a decent place to live.”
Landlords’ complicity
While agents are often viewed as the primary culprits, findings have revealed that landlords are equally complicit in this exploitative web.
Many landlords, fully aware of agents’ dubious tactics, deliberately channel prospective tenants through these middlemen—knowing it will pile extra charges on renters.
Though this arrangement may seem like a convenient way to streamline tenant selection, it raises serious ethical concerns around transparency and fairness. By relying on agents who extract inspection fees without proper accountability, landlords indirectly fuel a system where tenants are financially drained and disillusioned even before securing a home.
Take Gbenga Adebambo’s shocking ordeal as an example. In 2022, while house-hunting in Mowe, Ogun State, he decided to bypass agents after a string of disappointments.
Hoping for a more straightforward approach, he personally explored the area on a Saturday, asking locals for leads on vacant apartments.
His efforts paid off—or so he thought. He was directed to a compound where he found a storey building with four two-bedroom flats.
That evening, he met the landlord, who lived in one of the apartments. But instead of being presented with rental details, he was hit with a bewildering demand.
“He confirmed that two apartments were available but refused to tell me the rent,” Adebambo recalled. “Instead, he asked for my budget. When I told him, he said there was no issue—but I would have to bring an agent before we could continue discussions.”
Confused and frustrated, he left without securing the apartment.
“It made no sense to me,” he admitted. “Later, I discovered that many landlords insist on involving agents because it boosts their visibility within agent networks. Indirectly, they benefit from the inspection fees being charged, even if they’re not the ones collecting the money directly.”
Trails of wailing
Across social media platforms, a storm of outrage has erupted from victims of this exploitative racket.
Numerous posts recount experiences of exorbitant inspection fees levied under false pretences that left prospective tenants drained and demoralised.
Many described being drawn to properties through glossy, deceptive listings—only to be met with vastly different realities during physical inspections.
Shabby apartments, noisy environments, and poor maintenance often replaced the pristine visuals showcased online, sparking frustration and heartbreak for those desperate to secure a home.
Beyond financial strain, the emotional toll is undeniable. Tenants feel trapped in a system skewed heavily in favour of landlords and agents—an ecosystem where renters’ vulnerability is exploited while accountability remains elusive.
The surge of shared stories on social media exposes a much deeper societal rot—a glaring lack of trust in Nigeria’s real estate market.
An X user, @BossetteJay, recently shared a viral video capturing her frustration during a house inspection. The footage showed a property where the front of the building was so severely flooded that both pedestrian and vehicular access was nearly impossible. Her voice trembled with anger as she lamented the state of the apartment.
Commenting on the post, another user, @DelgadoPrime, responded sharply:
“If you paid any inspection fee before they showed you the place, I can tell you for free—it’s a scam. The catch is that inspection fee. They have no property in their care to let. So, they take you to a house they are dead certain you will reject.”
These and countless similar posts reveal more than just personal frustrations—they lay bare the unchecked decay plaguing Lagos’s house-renting system, where trust has been replaced with deception.
Landlords as decoy agents
Adding another disturbing layer to this crisis is the revelation that some landlords now disguise themselves as estate agents to exploit tenants directly.
This deceptive strategy bypasses professional intermediaries, allowing landlords to pocket inspection fees while maintaining a false image of legitimacy.
By posing as agents, they lure unsuspecting tenants into believing they are dealing with professionals, not the property owners themselves. Some even create fake online profiles or use aliases to maintain the illusion.
Such deceit hit Confidence Obi, a young graduate who relocated to Ibadan in mid-2023 for a part-time course. While searching for an apartment, she stumbled upon an online listing and reached out to the contact provided. Their conversation progressed smoothly until it was time to pay for an inspection.
She was impressed during the visit and agreed to pay the rent. However, a shocking detail emerged.
“When he called out the account number for the rent payment, it matched the same one he sent me for the inspection fee,” Obi recalled.
Perplexed, Obi questioned the so-called agent, who quickly admitted that he was actually the landlord’s brother managing the property.
“I was beyond shocked. I had just paid N10,000 for an inspection only to find out he was the landlord, profiting twice from the same deal,” she recounted bitterly.
Beware of “Too Good to Be True” low inspection fees
Another deceptive tactic haunting the rental space involves fake house agents who lure desperate tenants with suspiciously low inspection fees.
Operating without legitimate listings, these scammers flood social media with eye-catching property ads, targeting vulnerable renters searching for affordable homes.
Once a tenant shows interest, they demand varying fees for property inspections—often without having any real properties available. Some victims report being taken to random buildings with no rental vacancies or properties in dire conditions unfit for living.
These con artists thrive in a dangerously unregulated market where anyone can pose as a real estate professional without credentials.
The allure of quick, easy profits often overshadows the lasting damage inflicted on already struggling families in need of home.
“Imagine collecting N5,000 inspection fees three times from the same person. Before you even take them to the property they want, you’ve pocketed N15,000,” said a realtor, Oyindamola Omoniyi, while revealing the shocking tactics unethical agents use to line their pockets.
He confirmed that while fraudulent agents are rampant in the market, some professionals maintain ethical practices.
“Some of us send you pictures of the properties you want to inspect before you even pay the inspection fee. We then take you directly to that property. The fee depends on the location of the apartment,” she explained.
However, she cautioned that prospective tenants should be wary of unusually low inspection fees, which often signal a scam.
“Fake agents offer low fees to lure you in. You think it’s a deal, but when you show up for the inspection, you’ll quickly realise no normal person could ever live in that house.”
Necessary evils
A conversation with a landlord in Magboro, Ogun State, who requested to remain anonymous, unveiled another troubling facet of the real estate business.
House agents, according to the landlord, are absolutely essential to the survival of the rental market, placing them in a position to control the flow of tenants.
“Landlords can’t be out there looking for tenants every day,” the landlord explained. “It’s the agents who market the apartments. Sometimes, there’s an agreement between landlords and agents that if you want to rent an apartment in the area, you must go through an agent.”
The landlord revealed the immense power agents wield, with some even going as far as blacklisting landlords in their WhatsApp groups if they fall out of favour. “If a landlord misbehaves, agents can easily tarnish their reputation. They have too much influence, and many landlords are left with no choice but to cooperate,” he said, acknowledging that dealing with agents is an inevitable part of the business.
“Agents have their uses, but there are things you just can’t escape when you’re dealing with them. You have to accept it,” the landlord admitted reluctantly.
Tenants can be proactive – Agreement experts weigh in
While the current Nigerian legal framework lacks specific legislation governing the fees estate agents can charge for property inspections, corporate practice lawyer Maxwell Adigun pointed out that there are laws designed to protect tenants from excessive or misleading charges.
“Estate agents in Nigeria must follow fair trading practices,” Adigun explained. “They are required to disclose all fees upfront, provide accurate information about properties, and act in the best interest of their clients. If the fees are deemed excessive, tenants have grounds to file a complaint or take legal action.”
Adigun stressed that tenants must be proactive, demanding transparency and fairness when dealing with agents, especially in an unregulated market like Nigeria’s.
The lawyer explained that potential tenants can take several actions if they find themselves unfairly treated or misled. Firstly, they should document all interactions with the agent, including any advertisements, communication about fees, and the properties viewed.
According to him, tenants can raise the issue directly with the agent. If that doesn’t yield results, they can file a complaint with the Nigerian Consumer Protection Council or consider seeking legal action for unfair practices.
Adigun further explained that the prevalence of multiple inspection fees can have detrimental effects on the rental market.
“It diminishes trust between potential tenants and agents, discourages prospective renters from engaging with agents, and can lead to rising costs in an already challenging housing market. This can create an environment where both landlords and reputable agents face reputational harm, as tenants may generalise negative experiences across the board,” he noted.
Legal agreement expert Olamide Afolabi shared that tenants should be proactive in gathering information before engaging with agents.
He explained that they should ask for a clear breakdown of all fees and get everything in writing.
“Researching reviews and experiences of previous tenants can also be invaluable in vetting an agent. If possible, consider renting directly from landlords to bypass agents altogether. Lastly, if they feel pressured or misled, the tenant can seek legal advice,” he added.
Afolabi noted that improving transparency in house-hunting will require a combination of regulatory oversight and industry reform, adding that implementing clearer guidelines on fee structures and practices is essential.
He concluded by saying, “Industry associations should enforce ethical standards that agents must adhere to. Also, educating tenants about their rights and establishing straightforward complaint mechanisms can empower potential tenants to stand up against unfair practices. It might also be beneficial to push for legislation that dictates fair and transparent rental practices.”
