At first I didn't know about it. The agent who got me the apartment knew about it but hid it from me. He was all about his agency fee and lied to me all the persons that once lived here all did well and had moved into their own houses built. I believed him even though I saw some red flags which I didn't take serious. I told the agent the rent is too much and I don't have the whole of the money to pay if I should include his agent fee.
He told me to bring out his agent fee first which was N50,000 and the remaining balance left with me, he'll plead on my behalf to the landlady to accept it with a promise to balance up in a month time. This he did and I began occupying the apartment. Two months later, I completed the payment.
Close to a year I had lived alone in the building, it seems a whistle was blown. People started coming almost everyday for house inspection. The whole apartments were rented out. My rent expired and I approached the landlady to make a payment only to get a shocker that my rent has been increased 100%.
''Who does that?'' I asked.
Is it because people are coming to ask for apartment in your property?
I'm not against house rent increment but there are rules to this things. Things should be done rightly. You'll give an earlier notice as to enable me either prepare to renew or look for another accommodation. You don't ambush me on a day I want to renew my rent with an increment. Things are not done that way. After back and forth, a neighbor pleaded I compromise. I obliged to go with 50% than the 100% increase. She refused. Finally, we landed at 70%. So I made payment remaining some balance which was as a result of the increment.
Five months into the rent, I was served a week quit notice with a lie to the barrister that I haven't made any payment. My saving grace was that, I have always made payment through bank transfer even till date. If we're to check the money I paid in renewal and divide it, I should be able to stay up to 10months. So why the one week quit notice? Maybe there's a new strain of weed in the market my landlady is taking I don't know about.
I read the notice and laughed. I wanted to approach my lawyer but on a second thought I called and met with the lawyer that served the notice. It was then I showed receipt of the transfer I did when I renewed the rent.
He apologized for the quit notice saying, he was misinformed that I haven't made any payment. He went on to say, even in the law court I'm entitled to at least six months notice before I'll be evicted. He then asked what do I want? I told him, I want to leave at the expiration of my rent which still have seven months tenancy. He said good but I should try and balance up the little payment remaining. I promised to do that before that month runs out.
If I had paid my rent through cash, this was how I would have been denied of ever making payment. To think she deliberately don't issue receipt to tenants.
I didn't stay a single day at my rent expiration. I intentionally left the very last day even though I had parked almost everything in my house to my new apartment. Few months later, I heard two other tenants left after their rent expired.
*So you brought luck to the woman but she let you go? meaning that people were waiting for someone to move and see what will happen before they move in also..
I heard some houses once you move in everything goes wrong!
Hmm. Things are happening. That woman is greedy. I know a house where people TTcing will always have babies and many will often move intoi their own property. There was a huge waiting list until the landlord sold the house. Ile ire it was called.
ReplyDeleteI remember a house off Nnobi back in the early 90s , a six flat building. Every year there was a death. My family friends who lived there packed out after a 3rd flat suffered a loss. So many storied to tell.
ReplyDeleteTeejay, what you faced was not strange. The greedy agent and the landlady only followed the path of those who trade honesty for coins. What kept you standing was the wise choice - you held proof, not stories - we have faced such an agent before and like you - thank God for bank statements.
ReplyDeleteIn matters of land, money, and shelter, words fly like dust, but written records stand like iroko - never walk naked. Never trust the tongue alone; trust the evidence your hand can keep. For memory fades but documents endure.
As for talk of luck or curse, they do exist but leave that to market gossip and whispers for those who prefer shadows. What you saw is the world as it is: some build wealth by trickery, stealing, and exploitation, others by sweat.
You have not been cheated - you have been taught. Take the lesson, and let it guide your feet where next you build your rest.
Very interesting
ReplyDeleteGreed were their names. We have so many of them. Once you pay, they start looking for every excuse to increase the rent.
ReplyDelete