Landlord Urges Review Of Tenancy Law

A woman who stabbed her husband to death, Yewande Oyediran (middle), being arraigned in Iyaganku Magistrate Court in Ibadan, yesterday.

A landlord in Port
Harcourt, Mr James Edi, has called for urgent review of tenancy law in Rivers State in order to ensure justice for both the tenants and the landlords.
Mr Edi, who spoke with The Tide in Port Harcourt Monday, prayed the state House of Assembly to look into the tenancy law, which he said was skewed in favour of the tenants.
He said by the present law in the state, mischievous tenants could remain in the landlord’s premises for a long time without paying rent in the name of following the due process of the law.
According to him, “the landlord finds himself in a difficult situation in his bid to recover his flat from an indigent or unscrupulous tenant. My lawyer says you must serve adequate notice, six months for an annual tenant, thereafter serve him a seven day notice of owner’s intention to recover possession of premises”.
He said that the landlord would be obliged to go to court if the tenant failed to pack out.
Mr Edi expressed concern over some landlords who did not have the wherewithal to proceed to court.
The landlord noted that some landlords in order to circumvent the rigorous process employed self-help, which the law frowned at.
He said some impatient landlords would continue to resort to self-help so long as the recovery of premises law of the state remained cumbersome.
Mr Edi expressed regrets that tenants were taking advantage of the state of the law to wreak havoc.
“The worry is that even when a tenant has not paid rent for one year the landlord is obligated to still follow the due process of the law”, he state.

Chidi Enyie