BY TONY OKAFOR
The alarming rise in arbitrary rent increments and quit notices in Anambra State has spotlighted the issue of exploitative landlords and the complicity of some lawyers in perpetuating this menace.
While lawyers play a crucial role in advising clients, it is disconcerting to see some draft letters of rent increment and quit notices without regard to law.
A closer examination reveals that the root cause of this issue lies in the lack of effective rent regulation in Anambra State.
Landlords, driven by the desire for maximum profit, often exploit tenants through exorbitant rent increments, while some lawyers facilitate this exploitation for financial gain.
The question remains: what drives a lawyer to write multiple letters of rent increment for a client within a span of one year? Is it a genuine attempt to advise clients or merely a pursuit of pecuniary interest?
To address this issue, lawyers must prioritize advising clients on reasonable and lawful rent increments, rather than solely focusing on financial benefits.
They should ensure that clients adhere to the rules governing quit notices, which vary depending on the method of tenancy.
For instance, a weekly tenancy requires one week’s notice, a monthly tenancy requires one month’s notice, and a yearly tenancy requires six months’ notice.
The Anambra State Government must step in to regulate rents and protect tenants from exploitative landlords.
A rent regulation policy could establish a Rent Tribunal to adjudicate disputes and determine fair rent increments, set guidelines for rent increments based on factors like inflation and economic conditions, and strengthen tenant protection laws to prevent unfair eviction.
Examples of successful rent regulation models can be seen in other jurisdictions like Lagos, where rent control boards have been established to regulate rent increments and ensure that landlords provide adequate notice to tenants.
We urge the Anambra State Government to take concrete steps to address this issue.
It is time to ignite laws that ensure fair rent practices, rather than leaving it to the whims of exploitative landlords.
Lawyers must reevaluate their priorities and uphold their professional ethics, prioritizing justice and fairness over financial gain.
Tenants should boldly assert their rights and challenge arbitrary landlord actions in court, recognizing that legal recourse is not exclusive to landlords.
The people of Anambra deserve protection from exploitation, and collective action is necessary to address this issue.
