Lawyer Wants House Rent Checked

A Port Harcourt-based
lawyer, Barr. Chijoke Agi has called on the Rivers State House of Assembly to make laws that will checkmate astronomical rise in house rent.
Barr Agi, who made the call, while speaking with The Tide in Port Harcourt at the weekend, said the high rent had become unbearable in Port Harcourt metropolis.
He said landlords were cashing in on the presence of oil exploiting companies to hike their rent but  had failed to take cognisance of the fact that oil company workers were fewer than people in other sectors of the economy.
The Port Harcourt lawyer expressed surprise that the disparity between rents in Rivers and its neighbouring states was high.
He said it was wrong for landlords to desire to recoup their investments in real properties within a short time and urged government to intervene in the matter.
Barr. Agi noted that despite the fact that the present government in the state had taken steps to stem the unwholesome practices in properties sale especially land, the vendors have continued to flout the directive.
According to him, “vendors have continued to demand bush entry’ from purchasers. It is unfair, especially as bush entry is unrefundable”.
The lawyer also urged the State House of  Assembly to continually review tenancy laws to make them amenable to contemporary situations.
Barr. Agi called on government to build houses and sell them to civil servants to cushion the effect of rising house rents.

Chidi Enyie