According to report reaching oyogist.com, Members of the Oyo State House of Assembly have advised the state government to henceforth regulate activities of estate agents and surveyors in the state.
They advised the state government, led by Governor Seyi Makinde, to curb illegal charges and extortions by estate agents in the state.
The lawmakers made the declaration during a plenary held on Tuesday.
In a motion raised by the Speaker of the Assembly, Adebo Ogundoyin, and Babajide Adebayo, the lawmakers noted that it is becoming difficult for prospective tenants to rent a house or shop without going through an agent.
Adebayo in his contribution said, “Fraudulent and greedy agents usually charge exorbitant fees. They collect fees like Agency fee, Agreement fee, Caution fee (supposed to be refunded), Legal fee, Inspection fee among others. Some even request a registration fee. When they give you what they call (TOTAL PACKAGE) for the rent you will be speechless.
“There is the need for the state government through the ministry of lands, housing and physical development and other professional bodies like the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers and the Association of Estate Agents in Nigeria to regulate and bring some sanity into the practice.
“All their charges are rather too high and exploitative. There should be ways of reducing the activities of quacks in the practice. Potential tenants must also resist any attempt to make them pay exorbitant fees, or negotiate better to avoid shortchanging.
“Security agencies should help investigate and bring some unscrupulous agents and surveyors whose criminal activities are capable of bringing discomfort to the people to book.”
Ogundoyin in his reaction said, “Can you imagine someone getting accommodation in Ibadan and the total package is #900,000. When this is broken down, the rent may be about N500,000 while other charges by the Estate/House Agents will be N400,000. Almost the same amount as the rent. This is really exploitative and exorbitant.
“We urge the Oyo State Government through the State Ministry of Lands, Housing and Physical Development, as well as other professional bodies like Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV) and the Association of Estate Agents in Nigeria (AEAN) to help regulate the activities of Estate Agents
and Surveyors across the State.
“Let the professional bodies put machinery in place towards addressing the excesses of Estate Agents and Surveyors in the State, and members of the public and other stakeholders to go all out against quacks and fake Estate Agents and Surveyors whose fraudulent activities and charges are already giving the practice a bad name”.
