10 Things To Note Before Renting A House In Lagos State

No doubt that living in Lagos State is the first choice of most Nigerians, especially the youths that are just starting their life, the thought of either renting a house in Lagos or buying a house in Lagos is a norm and the fact that Lagos State is the business hub of Nigeria makes everyone adore it.

Lagos state is the most populous city in Nigeria and it is also a place where commercial activities thrive better than in other states, business opportunities, fun places in Lagos and the basic infrastructure that a standard city boasts of are all available in this city, you now see why many people dream of living in Lagos? Sure you do.

Nevertheless, if you have been dreaming to live in Lagos and you are actually prepared for it then actualizing your dream of finding an apartment on the Lagos Mainland or Lagos Island shouldn’t be difficult if you check out our properties listing either for rent or buy.

Before proceeding you might want to get to know this – Is it better to rent or buy properties in Lagos? This should point you in the right direction for you to make the best decision with your money.

Mind you, for a first-timer it getting an apartment in Lagos either for rent or buying may not be that easy as we all know Lagos state is a busy place where everything moves so fast, you need to adjust yourself to the Lagosian’s way of life as the saying goes “when in Rome you do as the Romans do” when in Lagos you have to be smart.

On getting to Lagos state some unfortunate beings can easily tell if you are a newcomer or not and they leverage this to swindle you of your hard-earned money, this is the main business of some people in Lagos though this happens in almost every state and not just in Lagos state.

If you are looking for a house to rent in Lagos you will go through some stress regardless of whichever location you intend to reside and making a hasty decision could put you in a big mess which can end in regrets.

As someone who already made up his/her mind to reside in Lagos then you definitely have a clear picture of the type of house you want and the location you want it to be, it is a nice thing you already have this in mind but you also need to keep yourself abreast of the major tips and clues which will be beneficial so you don’t get scammed.

Recommended: How To Avoid Real Estate Fraud? Experts Advice

So, to avoid being scammed or having regret about your decisions which ought to be a thing of joy it is crucial to do what is right at the proper time it ought to be done. Without further ado, let us go straight to the main topic which is the 10 things to note before renting a house in Lagos state.

10 Things To Know Before Renting A House In Lagos

1. Location

When you already made your decision that you want to live in Lagos the first thing you need to know is to know the type of house in which you plan on renting.

You should know the type of house you want to rent in Lagos either a 2-bedroom flat, mini-flat, duplex or other types of apartments in Lagos. Once this decision has been ticked then the location of the house is the next thing to take note of.

Know that the location where you plan on staying will affect your life either positively or negatively, this should be properly planned and you make sure it is close to where you intend to work, if you plan on starting a business of your own you want to stay in a place where there is high demand for whatever products or services you intend to venture into.

Also, you need to consider the proximity of your house to major places in Lagos state like the market, schools if you have kids, electricity, internet and network coverage and so on. Should in case you couldn’t make the right decision or find a perfect home then you can make use of online property websites in Lagos like ours EucarlRealty.Com, we have collections of good houses to rent in Lagos where you can choose from with the qualities each comes with, you also see pictures and videos of the properties.

Read Also: How To Choose A Perfect Property

2. Consider Your Budget

Before hunting for a house in Lagos you need to consider your budget, though you have an idea of the location you want but is your budget in this range? You do not want to spend too much that will take almost all your money, so you need to think deeply before proceeding.

The price of houses in Lekki will definitely be different from the price of houses in Yaba or Ikeja, so if you have a budget for a 2-bedroom flat in Lagos then you base your location of choice on the budget.

3. Cost Of Living

Another thing to consider when renting a house in Lagos is the cost of living in the city you intend to stay in. You need to know if food and other items are not too costly, also you need to take note of the prices of transportation, tenancy agreement and the amount paid for security.

All these have to be looked into before you further pay for your rent, you are also advised to meet with people who live in that neighbourhood to hear what they have to say about living there, this could be used to make your own final decision.

4. Navigate The Neighbourhood 

The term location and neighbourhood look similar but not the same, after noting your location, checking to see if it fits your budget and knowing the cost of living you need to move around the neighbourhood, is the neighbourhood neat? are there basic facilities there? how much does house rent cost in the area? is there a good power supply in the area? and in cases where there is an outage or faulty electricity, how swift are they in fixing it? do they have a gate at the entrance and exit of the neighbourhood? These are the questions you should ask before renting an apartment in Lagos.

5. Compare The Price

You don’t just grab whatever is thrown at you, you need to find out about 3 or more different houses within your budget and make a comparison, though you can’t have it all you have to go with the one that favours you the most.

When looking for a house in Lagos you meet different kinds of real estate agents and most of them will sweet-talk you to go for the one that will bring them the highest income, you have to be smart in making a choice.

While they take you around the neighbourhood before you make your decision you need to come back to that neighbourhood and find out about the prices of houses in that area from those who live there, with this you can compare and settle for the best.

6. Meet The Landlord

You need to meet the main owner of the house, there are some things the agent won’t tell you that you need to hear directly from the owner of the house because most house owners in Lagos have their rules which you have to follow if you really want to have peace staying there.

No matter the type of laws the government might have made to protect the tenant you still need to know what your landlord wants so as to avoid trouble, ask other tenants about the landlord and know how strict he is and how he treats his existing tenants.

Lagos is a house for different types of characters, some landlords are crazy, some are under the influence of whatever be alcohol or something related or power-drunk, some are suffering from mental disorders etc. When you meet with him or her you can tell if he or she is a calm person and someone you won’t have issues with.

Also, if you meet with the house owner you might get your rent cheaper because most of the agents add their own prices to the normal price the landlord intended to rent it out, when you meet with the landlord himself then you might save some money.

7. Tenancy Agreement

After taking the necessary steps we have highlighted above you will be presented with an agreement form, you need to meticulously read this agreement, it is called the “Tenancy Agreement”, which will list out the obligations of the landlord likewise that of the tenant and you need to sign on it so as to agree that you are good with the terms listed in it.

There is always a chance for clauses, you can add and edit some clauses with which you are not cool so you do not want to rush, we advise you to take a copy home and read it carefully before you sign such an agreement. Once signed in a hurry it can be used against you.

Recommended: Tenant Rights – Things Bad Landlords Don’t Want You to Know

Once you get home you will find out the agreement might be so lengthy and confusing, in this case, you can bring in your lawyer, he will be in the right position to explain everything to you and even give you a heads up on the options to go with and those you shouldn’t.

8. Security

With the high rate of insecurity in the country, you need to play your part to ensure you do not fall victim. This doesn’t mean you will be the one securing your life and property but you need to do your homework well before renting an apartment in Lagos.

You check how close a police station is to your house of choice, know if there are provisions for security guards, and do they have vigilantes securing the area. all these are what you should take note of.

On the house of your choice, you need to know if there are strong burglary proofs both for your windows and doors, know if the property has a gate and also know if there have been previous records of security breaches in the area.

9. Availability of Social Amenities

This is also very important, if there is a lack of basic amenities in the area you might have to overwork yourself and even spend much more than ought to be in your savings account.

You want to make sure that you have schools close by, hospitals, electricity, pipe-borne water supply (borehole), internet and network coverage and many more.

10. Get Your Receipt and Documents

Finally, you have made the right decision and you are good with everything about the house, now you need to get make your secured payment, obtain your receipt and get every other document needed.

When you have your receipts and documents you want to make a copy of them all, your receipt serves as proof that you actually made a payment. The receipt should consist of the date of payment, your signature, the landlord and agent’s signature, the amount paid, the location of the said property and the time the payment expires.

With all of the points we have listed above you cannot make a mistake in finding the right apartment in Lagos. Mind you, these tips work for both first-time home seekers in Lagos and those who have been living in Lagos and just want to change their house. You can air your views about renting an apartment in Lagos via our comment box below.