I’ve been going through some kind of stress lately. After I opened my business, I still need to rent a house and the prices of houses are quite expensive here in Lagos even though I’m around the cheapest place in Lagos. Unfortunately, I don’t like the system in which house agents use in renting house out to people. They usually make it seem more difficult than it actually is.
I understand the fact that houses may be scarce but it hurts a lot when they show you houses that does not even befit you. In the past few days, I can’t count how many houses that house agents have taken me to and I could not find the one that befits me. All of those houses are just looking so poor, dirty, damaged or having some major faults that I cannot cope with. At the same time, would you believe that the houses they are taking me to check are not for free?
They collect a whooping sum of money before they take you to the house they want to show you and while taking you to those houses, you’d be the one to pay for their transportation fare. Isn’t it crazy? Please, is this done in other countries? They collect a whole $4 which can feed someone for a week here just because they want to show you some apartment available for rent.
The most painful thing is that when an agent collects $4 from you for the agency fee, another agent will still do the same so imagine that you met with ten agents, it means you’re already spending $40 just for the agency fee even without paying the rent and they may still not show you a house that befits you.
The normal thing is to snap the pictures of the houses available online and people willl chose their choice and make every necessary payments but it is not done here. The house agents will make sure that they stress you and also collect money from you and you may still not achieve your aim with them.
That’s what they do here and I cannot count how many agents I have met and how much money I have spent. Are there other Nigerians who can testify to this like @burlaj @kingsleyy @bruno-kema and the likes…
What’s your opinion about this?