By Daniel Akinte
When Adeola Merit, a 200-level student got an admission into the Department of Microbiology at Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA) her joy was mixed with the burden of how to sort her accommodation.
Securing an off-campus hostel would be cheaper, she thought, but to her surprise, the house rent was tagged at N120,000. “The normal thing is that as a new tenant, you get the house at N120,000 but later on you start paying the regular N75,000 to N80,000. I'm now in my second year. Instead of it (the house rent) to reduce, it didn't reduce at all.
"Instead of N75,000 to N80,000, the landlord increased all tenant's fees to N120,000. Whether you are a new or old tenant you now pay N120,000," Adeola said.
According to her, there is no improvement in house services or facilities to justify the sudden increase in the house rent. Paying extra charges on house rent now affects her academics.
"Although the apartment is Self-contained (Selfcon), there's no improvement at all in the facilities. This is affecting me because there are some school materials I need to get but they were delayed just because my house rent had increased,” she said.
The urgent demand for accommodation among AAUA students, most especially the new intakes, has created an opening ground for some landlords and caretakers to increase house rents leaving many students with no choice but to succumb.
Similarly, it was not a different experience for Adelabu Victoria, a 300-level Accounting student at AAUA, whose school fees payment was delayed due to a significant hike in her house rent.
“The rent skyrocketed to about 100%. The increment really affected me and my roommate because from #30,000 to #70,000 is not normal and it came unexpectedly. To make matters worse, this has led to a delay in the payment of my tuition fees," she said.
Another student, Olubodun Oreoluwa, from the Department Of Public Administration, AAUA said that new tenants at her off-campus residence now pay more than the normal house rent.
"I've actually been paying an amount since 100 level and the amount is N120,000. But now new residents are paying higher rent. The new students pay #150,000 different from the #120,000 I am paying.”
She added that despite the increase, student tenants repair some house problems themselves, lamenting that the hike is too much and taking a toll on students' academics, especially the ones whose parents are not financially stable.
“The landlord does nothing, we repair things ourselves, we get new things ourselves like just everything depends on us. That increase to N150,000 is actually too much. It is going to take a toll on students' academics, especially those whose parents are not financially stable,” Olubodun noted.
High demand, economic inflation are major factors for increase– Landlords
As the recent surge in off-campus house rent has sparked concerns among AAUA students, some landlords contacted explained their side of the story.
Speaking with Echo Media, these landlords, K.T. Lawal and Baba Jatto attributed the increase to economic inflation and high demand for housing.
Lawal cited a high increase in the price of goods, particularly building materials, as a major factor. "The current economic situation has led to everyone wanting to sell their goods at higher prices. For example, the price of cement has increased from ₦6,000 to ₦10,000."
He also expressed frustration with the government's lack of concern for low-income families, stressing that some landlords increase house fees to cope with the economic reality. "The government contributes to this. They don't recognize the struggles of low-income families, and if they did, there would be a reduction in the price of things," Lawal said.
Another landlord, Baba Jatto attributed the increase in house rent to the overwhelming demand for housing, particularly from students, claiming that tenants received inadequate notice before the sudden hike.
"There may be no improvements to justify the increase. At times the sole reason is the high demand for houses from students. Tenants received inadequate notice before the increase of house rent,” he said.
Students Warned Against Unregistered Agents
In an interview with the CEO of Urban Realty Solutions, Ilufunke Arowojolu, she urged off-campus students in AAUA to be cautious when dealing with unregistered agents, citing their role in inflating house rent prices.
According to Arowojolu, several factors contribute to the current increase in house rent, including economic instability, high demand, and unregistered agents charging exorbitant fees.
"The economy is in shambles, and inflation is high. The demand for houses far exceeds the supply, making it advantageous for business people to increase costs."
She noted that unregistered agents often inflate prices and charge illegal fees, advising AAUA students to always request the ID card of any agent they encounter.
"The rise in costs of house rent can be attributed to factors such as caretaker fees, which can add tens of thousands of naira to the rent. For instance, if a landlord sets a rent of ₦150,000, an agent may add ₦50,000 as their fee, which is too much and illegal.
"Majority of the perpetrators are unregistered agents. The breakdown is that students should know what portion goes to the landlord, caretaker, and agent fees. In cases where students are skeptical, they are taken to meet the caretaker or landlord to verify the costs," she clarified.
Legal stance
When asked about the legal stance on the frequent rent increases by landlords, Attorney General of the Law Student Society (LSS), Olasunkanmi Akorede, in an interview explained that house rent and tenancy are based on a contractual agreement between a landlord and a tenant, and is governed by laws that outline the terms and agreements of such contracts.
Akorede emphasized that even the court cannot unilaterally change the terms and agreements. He further stressed that under the law of contract, notice is crucial when it comes to contract changes.
"It is the duty of the landlord to notify the tenant of such a change in terms of contract," he added, highlighting the importance of prior notification in contractual agreements.
AAUA Students Affairs Department reacts
Speaking with the Students' Affairs Chairman for AAUA's hostel accommodation, Mr Akinola he highlighted the measures taken by the university management to address the concerns of students affected by off-campus housing issues.
Akinola reiterated that the Unit had earlier called to seat the Akungba landlords, caretakers, agents, and AAUA Students Union representatives, including the Akungba Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to establish uniform rents.
"The Students' Affairs department has established a unit off-campus to regulate how our students are treated by caretakers. In the Dean of Students meeting with caretakers, agents, the students' union, with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in attendance. Landlords were accused of unilaterally raising rents, with agents further inflating costs by charging commissions. In response, we advised them to establish uniform rents and submit a formal proposal."
He added, "We plan to meet with the Alaale of Akungka, the king, who can also reach out to the caretakers and landlords. However, we are awaiting feedback from the caretakers, landlords, and agents, as this issue affects not only students but also lecturers and other members of the university community.”
Akinola highlighted the difficulties in advocating for affordable housing for students living off-campus. He said despite efforts to address the issue, some students are inadvertently perpetuating the problem due to desperation.
"If one student refuses to pay an inflated rent, another desperate student will take their place. This desperation, combined with the reluctance of landlords and caretakers to cooperate, has hindered progress.”
In response to the university's effort to resolve the housing crisis, he assured that plans are underway by the management to construct additional on-campus hostels, hoping once these new facilities are occupied, rents for off-campus accommodations will decrease.
He advised students struggling to afford rent to report their concerns to the students' affairs department and exercise patience as measures are implemented to address the issue.
We're fully ready to take action- AAUASU
The AAUA Students’ Union under the leadership of Comr. Boladale Oyindamola (Mandela) has also reacted to the hike in the off-campus house rent, stressing that the union is ready to take action.
This was contained in a memorandum released by the union Saturday 11, following complaints of students living off-campus on the skyrocketing price of house rent.
According to the union, this inconsiderate act has put tremendous financial strain on students already struggling to make ends meet, urging the house owners to consider the well-being of the students who are their tenants.
The memo reads: “From: The Secretariat, ADEKUNLE AJASIN UNIVERSITY AKUNGBA AKOKO STUDENTS' UNION(AAUASU), STUDENTS' UNION BUILDING.
Saturday, 11th Jan, 2025.
“The Students' Union is a body of intellectual and radical students, established with the cardinal purposes of championing the interests and welfare of the students, as well as protecting their rights within and outside the university community.
➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖
“To: ALL LANDLORDS, CARETAKERS, HOUSE AGENTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, SECURITY OPERATIVES AND STUDENTS TOWARDS THE UNFAVORABLE HOUSE RENT INCREMENTS IN AKUNGBA COMMUNITY.
“The Students' Union under the leadership of Comrade Boladale Oyindamola (Mandela) writes to inform all Landlords, Caretakers, and Agents that from Monday, 13th of January, 2025. The Students' Union is fully ready to take actions towards house rent increments which has become a burden on our students.
“Last year, it came to our attention that there has been a concerning trend of drastic rent increments for students living outside the school campus, which led to complains from Newly admitted students, and Staylites. This inconsiderate act put tremendous financial strain on students already struggling to make ends meet. As Representatives of the Students' Union, we had a round table meeting with the Dean of Students Affairs, Akungba Divisional Police Officer (D.P.O), Representatives of Landlords, Caretakers and Agents, to have unanimous agreement and conclude on what benefits all concerned parties.
“After this meeting, we have been facing situations of calls and messages from students who have been receiving threats and distress from their house owners and caretakers. It is unacceptable for students to be faced with the choice between paying an unreasonable amount of rent or risking homelessness. This is not only unfair, but it goes against the principles of education as a means of empowering individuals and creating opportunities for a better future.
“In collaboration with security operatives such as; Department of State Services (DSS), Akungba Police command, alongside Community leaders, University Management among others. We are prepared to take drastic action starting from next week to address this issue and ensure that students are not unfairly burdened by exorbitant rent increases. We understand that landlords and agents have their own financial considerations, but it is imperative that they also consider the well-being of the students who are their tenants.
“In conclusion, we hope that landlords and agents will take our concerns seriously and work with us to find a solution that is fair and equitable for all parties involved. The Students' Union is committed to advocating for the rights of students, and we will not hesitate to prioritize the well-being of students and ensure that they have access to affordable and safe housing options.”
