by Azubuike Azikiwe

The landlord of the Broadway Shopping Plaza has been taken to court by tenants over allegations of demanding a three-year upfront payment of rent and a 100% rent increment.

According to the tenants, the landlord of the plaza, Sunday Omosen called a meeting to inform them of his decision to increase the rent by 100% and also demanded that they pay three years’ rent upfront.

The current rent for most tenants of the plaza was due to expire on 31 October, of this year, with the tenants paying between N250,000 to N1 million per annum, depending on shop size and location.

The landlord’s counsel, Mr. Okechukwu Umemuo, would however, deny the allegation of the 100% rent increment and three years’ upfront payment during the hearing before Justice O. H. Oshodi of the Lagos State High Court on Wednesday, 22 October.

After deliberations, Justice Oshodi ruled that the landlord and tenants should maintain the status quo and pay their rent on or before 6 November, which is the next adjournment for the case.

Going by the ‘Lagos State Tenancy Law of 2011, the landlord may not get a favourable judgement.

The law states in part, “It shall be unlawful for a landlord or his agent to demand or receive from a sitting tenant rent in excess of six months from a monthly tenant and one year from a yearly tenant in respect of any premises without prejudice to the nature of tenancy held at the commencement of the tenancy.”

Kolapo Olapoju