REAL ESTATE ADVICE

How To Deal With A Nigerian Landlord

 

Growing up, I had the notion that landlords are not meant to be your friends but enemies and the reason is not far-fetched as I grew up living in a rented apartment where the tough landlord also lived in.

Being an old woman, the landlady always liked to sit around the veranda where she could see those going in and out of the compound while enjoying some fresh air. As a little boy, then, I would pass by with some fear of criticism from the landlady; fear of stamping my foot too loud on the ground or some irrational kind that was borne out of the notions I had of the woman.

What did she do? While she had little or no direct interaction with me, I built this fear each time I overheard her shouting at a co-tenant for having multiple vehicles or throwing a loud party in the compound; she had issues with a tenant having to live more expensive than she did and so on. As I flashback today, I wonder whether being a tenant is equivalent to slavery.

In the present day, such case still persists, especially with the ‘face-me-I-face-you’ apartments, but it’s scarcely heard of in houses where the landlord doesn’t reside. Hence, if you live in a house where your landlord also resides, it is likely that you also face such a situation. So, how do you deal with difficult landlords?

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My simple suggestion is you find a new apartment…lol! That was on the lighter mood.

 

Contents

Build a bond

handshake

Being a tenant is not equivalent to being a slave. So, the moment you secure a new apartment, ensure you build bond with such landlord. Most landlords are always excited about their new neighbours (tenants) at the beginning of their rental agreement, hence, building a bond at that stage makes for a blissful experience ahead.

Be Less Formal

obamaball

From my observation, when you keep a very formal relationship with your landlord from the onset, you might be setting yourself up for a dull experience with him or her. But when you laugh and gist with your landlord as you do with your colleagues and bosses at work, you can be sure to enjoy your experience as a tenant.

Live within your means

car park

Living in the same compound as your landlord means that you should place caution on the way you acquire some assets. Buying a refrigerator, gas cooker, etc is fine but in a society like Nigeria, buying multiple cars would likely amount to a skyrocketed increase in your rent which might just be the beginning of your clash with your landlord. So, instead of buying multiple cars, follow this next point.

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Work towards building/buying your own house

buy a house

If there is any better wealth to amass while living in a rented apartment, I would only recommend saving to build or buy your own house instead of buying multiple cars. That way, you can be sure that your days of ‘slavery’ are numbered. Don’t forget to call us on 07013330008 whenever you need our assistance.

If you have better suggestions on this topic, feel free to express it in the comment section below.

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