FAIRHOME EKITI: A Policy Innovation Project for Affordable, Safe, Transparent and Inclusive Rental Housing in Ekiti State, Nigeria

1. Project Summary

Finding a decent apartment in Ekiti State has become a growing struggle for many residents. An annual rent of ₦500,000 no longer guarantees a conducive home with reliable water, proper sanitation, safe electrical installations and decent access roads. Prospective tenants are confronted with multiple agents demanding fees, unexplained rental charges, unrefunded caution deposits and landlords who neglect essential repairs.

For some residents, the challenge goes beyond affordability. Single mothers and mature unmarried women face barriers to securing accommodation because of their personal circumstances. Students and NYSC members newly posted to unfamiliar towns are exposed to exploitation by agents and intermediaries who take advantage of their urgent need for housing. Tenants also contend with inaccessible buildings, undisclosed flood risks, arbitrary rent increases and improper eviction practices.

These are not merely individual housing complaints. They expose weaknesses in rental housing transparency, accountability, consumer protection and access to redress that demand deliberate policy action.

FAIRHOME EKITI is a policy innovation initiative designed to address these challenges through practical, evidence-based reforms that promote affordable, safe, transparent and inclusive rental housing. The project will strengthen access to rental information, promote fair tenancy practices, improve housing safety and accessibility, and establish clearer pathways for reporting and resolving rental disputes.

Rather than create another government committee, the initiative will identify opportunities to strengthen existing institutions, including the Estate Agents Committee of Ekiti State (Rent Tribunal), through evidence-based recommendations, public engagement and targeted policy or legislative reforms, subject to verification of their respective mandates.

2. Problem Statement: When Finding a Home Becomes a Struggle

For many residents of Ekiti State, securing accommodation has become an expensive and uncertain process. The burden extends beyond rent to the additional charges, poor property conditions and unfair treatment encountered before and after moving in.

A prospective tenant with ₦500,000 for annual rent can struggle to find an apartment with dependable water, proper sanitation, safe electrical installations and adequate access roads. After committing substantial savings to rent, tenants are still left dealing with leaking roofs, faulty plumbing and other defects that landlords or property managers fail to address.

The process of securing a vacant apartment creates another burden. Multiple agents often claim connections to the same property, with prospective tenants expected to pay inspection fees, agency commissions, agreement charges and other costs before securing accommodation. Charges are not always clearly explained, and some tenants face demands that appear duplicative. Caution deposits are also withheld in some cases without transparent justification.

For a single mother, finding accommodation can become a struggle against assumptions about her family circumstances. A mature unmarried woman may face rejection or intrusive questioning simply because she does not fit a landlord's preferred profile. Students and NYSC members arriving in unfamiliar towns are particularly vulnerable when they lack reliable information about rental prices, reputable agents and appropriate complaint channels.

The difficulties continue after occupation. Tenants experience neglected repairs, unreliable water supply, inaccessible residential buildings and exposure to flood-prone properties without adequate prior disclosure. Arbitrary rent increases and improper recovery of premises compound the insecurity.

Without deliberate intervention, these practices will continue to impose financial hardship, undermine housing security and normalize unfair treatment in the rental market. Individual tenants often lack the information, resources or bargaining power to challenge these practices, while responsible landlords and ethical agents operate in a market where transparency and accountability are inconsistent.

The challenge is therefore not simply the cost of rent. It is the absence of a sufficiently transparent, accountable and responsive rental housing system.

FAIRHOME EKITI will document these experiences through surveys of tenants, landlords and estate agents, stakeholder consultations and a review of applicable laws. This evidence will identify existing legal violations, implementation failures and regulatory gaps requiring policy or legislative action.

3. Proposed Solution and Core Innovation

FAIRHOME EKITI proposes an integrated policy framework connecting rental transparency, fair tenancy practices, housing safety and accessible redress. Its innovation lies in addressing the rental experience as a whole, from the moment a prospective tenant begins searching for accommodation to the resolution of disputes after occupation.

Four interventions are proposed. 

1. Rental Transparency, Fair Pricing and Accountable Agency Practices

Develop a rental information system that enables prospective tenants to compare advertised rents, property facilities, disclosed charges, water arrangements and verified information on relevant housing risks, including flooding.

Promote itemized disclosure of all rental-related charges before payment, including rent, agency fees, inspection fees, agreement fees and legal fees. Establish clear guidance on permissible agency charges, who is entitled to receive each payment and the professional basis for legal fees. Where legal services are required, legal fees should be transparently identified and distinguished from agency charges, with payments properly accounted for and directed to the appropriate service provider.

Address reports of agents who increase the rent communicated to prospective tenants, add separate agency fees without clear disclosure and fail to provide a proper breakdown or record of the total amount collected. Clarify the responsibilities of agents acting on behalf of landlords, including disclosure of their authority, the agreed rent and all charges payable.

The intervention will also examine the practice of charging prospective tenants for transportation or inspection visits before they can view an apartment. Where inspection fees are charged, the basis, amount and conditions must be disclosed in advance. Measures should discourage misleading property descriptions and the repeated presentation of unsuitable or uninhabitable apartments merely to collect inspection fees.

Evidence and legal analysis will inform recommendations on fair rent review practices, transparent fee structures, appropriate regulation of agency conduct and legally permissible limits on charges. The objective is to reduce the financial losses tenants incur while searching for accommodation and promote accountability among landlords and agents.

2. Fair Tenancy, Deposit Protection and Inclusive Rental Practices

Promote standard tenancy agreements, payment receipts, property condition inventories, transparent deposit deductions and clear procedures for refunding caution deposits. Improve public awareness of lawful notice requirements, tenancy termination and recovery of premises.

Address barriers faced by students, NYSC members, mature unmarried women, single mothers and persons with disabilities through transparent tenant selection criteria and appropriate legal and policy safeguards against unjustified discriminatory practices.

3. Safe, Habitable and Accessible Homes

Develop a practical property condition checklist covering water supply, sanitation, drainage, electrical and structural safety, maintenance and accessibility for persons with disabilities. Promote disclosure of known material housing risks, including flooding, and referrals to competent authorities for technical assessment.

Recommend measures to strengthen landlords' maintenance responsibilities and ensure that property descriptions accurately reflect the facilities and conditions provided. The objective is to help tenants make informed decisions before committing financially and to improve accountability for the quality and safety of rented accommodation.

4. Accessible Complaint, Redress and Policy Reform

Map existing complaint and dispute resolution channels and develop a simple public guide explaining where and how to report suspected overcharging, undisclosed or duplicative fees, agent misconduct, unaccounted payments, exploitative inspection charges, deposit disputes, unsafe housing, discriminatory treatment and unlawful eviction.

Strengthen access to existing institutions and appropriate referral mechanisms, including relevant government authorities and dispute resolution bodies, without creating parallel structures or limiting access to the courts. Findings from surveys, stakeholder consultations and legal reviews will inform practical recommendations for administrative improvements and targeted legislative or regulatory reforms.

The broader objective is to ensure that the process of finding a home does not become a source of repeated financial loss, and that every payment demanded from a prospective tenant has a clear, lawful and transparent basis.

4. Implementation Approach

The project will commence with research and legal assessment to establish the nature and extent of rental housing challenges in Ekiti State. This will involve surveys of tenants, landlords and estate agents, alongside a review of applicable laws, existing regulatory frameworks and available complaint and dispute resolution mechanisms. The findings will provide an evidence base for identifying legal violations, implementation gaps and areas requiring policy or legislative reform.

This will be followed by stakeholder consultations involving relevant government institutions, tenants, landlords, estate agents, civil society organisations and disability advocates to validate the findings and develop practical, inclusive and legally sound recommendations.

A pilot will then be undertaken in Ado-Ekiti to test proposed rental transparency tools, standardised fee disclosure, property condition checklists, tenancy guidance and accessible complaint and referral procedures. Feedback from participants and lessons from the pilot will inform improvements to the proposed interventions.

Finally, the project will produce an evidence-based policy brief outlining the identified challenges, recommended administrative measures and proposed legislative or regulatory reforms for consideration by relevant authorities. The findings and recommendations will be presented to appropriate policymakers and stakeholders to support the adoption of practical measures that promote a fairer, safer, more transparent and accountable rental housing system in Ekiti State.

5. Expected Policy Impact

FAIRHOME EKITI will generate evidence and practical recommendations to:

• Improve transparency in rent, agency fees and other rental charges.
• Identify gaps in tenancy protection, rent regulation and enforcement.
• Strengthen accountability for property maintenance, safety and accessibility.
• Improve public understanding of tenant and landlord rights and responsibilities.
• Address unjustified barriers faced by vulnerable and disadvantaged prospective tenants.
• Improve access to complaint and dispute resolution mechanisms.
• Support targeted policy and legislative reforms for a fairer rental housing market.

Progress will be assessed through survey findings, stakeholder participation, use of project tools, public awareness, complaint referrals and consideration of policy recommendations by relevant authorities.

6. Conclusion

The rental housing challenges facing Ekiti residents are already affecting how people spend their earnings, where they live and how securely they can plan their lives. Leaving these challenges unaddressed will allow unfair practices, information gaps and avoidable housing risks to persist.

FAIRHOME EKITI offers a practical route from individual complaints to evidence-based policy action. It provides legislators and policymakers with an opportunity to strengthen existing protections, close regulatory gaps and establish clearer expectations for tenants, landlords and estate agents.

A fair rental market does not require choosing between tenant protection and the interests of responsible property owners. It requires transparency, enforceable standards, accountability and accessible redress. Every resident deserves a fair chance to secure a decent home without exploitation, discrimination or unnecessary financial hardship.

FAIRHOME EKITI: Fair Rent. Safe Homes. Dignity for All.