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Minister urges legislation on monthly rent payment

Babatunde Fashola, the minister of works and housing, has urged state governments and legislators to enact laws that will compel landlords to charge their tenants monthly.

He said this at the 10th Meeting of the National Council on Lands, Housing and Urban Development, held in Lagos, on Thursday.

“We may not be able to make all people homeowners, but we can reduce the number of those who lack shelter or live on the edge every so often when rent is falling due”, he said.

The minister also said he was “our country will be a much better place when three years rent in advance, two years rent in advance or one year rent in advance for middle class and working family residential homes becomes monthly rent, payable at the end of the month.

“Why we may not get there immediately, this is an area of immense exclusion that we can remedy by legislative action at state level. This is a matter in which the Federal Government has no legislative competence. It is a matter for the states, and I urge you not to turn your backs.”

He said yearly rent payment or more in arrears had affected affordability and, as a result, increased shelter gap.

“All state legislators must see this as an important area of representation of their people to make life easier. So must governors and commissioners through executive bills,” he said.

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