Abuja residents on Tuesday decried the high cost of accommodation, urging the federal government to intervene by providing affordable mass housing.
Some residents said this in an interview after the housing cost survey around the city centre in Abuja.
During the survey, a Sefcon was rented for N1,000,000 to N1,500,000, as opposed to N350,000 to N600,000.
For one bedroom, it is rented for N1,800,000 to N2,000,000 as against the N800,000 to N1,500,000 aside from other charges such as caution fee, service charge, legal fee, and agency fee.
Two bedrooms, as increased to N2,500,000 to N3,500,000 aside from other charges, while three bedrooms to four bedrooms are going for N4,000,000 to N7,000,000 per annum.
These prices are higher in areas like Maitama, Asokoro, Wuye, Gwarimpa, Katampe, and Guzape.
Mrs. Sarah Bako said that she does not know why there is no association regulating the prices of rent, noting that the prices are becoming unrealistic for government workers.
She said that after the actual rent, there are various charges, which are an additional N500,000 and above, due to the increase of the agency fee from 10 percent to 20 percent.
“I think the house agents are the problem; they won’t advise those landlords just because of the money they want to make.
“No matter how terrible the house is looking, they will put so much money on the house, and tenants who are desperate will have no choice but to pay.
“This year, things are really getting out of hand; the government needs to intervene.“ she added.
According to Mr. John Okoro, a resident in Durumi, said he keeps wondering how people are going to survive with the high rates of accommodation and transportation.
“The house owners are introducing different charges, amounting to almost 50 percent of the actual rent; it is so unfair.
“How much are people’s salaries? The rent is some people’s one-year salary, and everything will go into rent; there should be policies that regulate this.“
Mr. Chinedu Nkem, a businessman, said that rent control may not come easy because they are private investments, but the government can build mass housing at an affordable rate.
He said that even dilapidated houses will still be charged so high, like recently built houses, noting that the extra charges are just extortion.
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