Subscribe: Gist E-Paper
Abia State House of Assembly has passed a landmark bill aimed at regulating the relationship between landlords, tenants and house agents across the state.
The bill, H.A.B. 34, sponsored by Deputy Speaker Augustine Okezie and lawmaker Mandela Obasi, was passed during plenary presided over by Speaker Emmanuel Emeruwa.
The new legislation establishes the Abia State Property and Tenancy Regulatory Authority, a body that will oversee tenancy matters and curb exploitative practices in the housing sector.
The law is designed to shield tenants from arbitrary rent increases, excessive charges and other unfair practices allegedly perpetrated by some landlords and house agents. At the same time, it also safeguards the rights of landlords by providing legal protection against tenants who violate tenancy agreements or engage in unlawful conduct.
The move follows growing public outrage over soaring rents in Umuahia and Aba, where many residents have repeatedly accused some landlords and estate agents of working together to inflate the cost of residential and commercial properties.
With the passage of the bill, many residents are hopeful that sanity will return to the housing sector, bringing greater fairness, transparency and accountability to both tenants and property owners across Abia State.
