Rent is often paid a year upfront
Landlords in Nigeria commonly ask for a full year's rent before you move in, and sometimes more. Plan your budget around the full sum, not a monthly figure.
In Lagos State, the Tenancy Law 2011 makes it unlawful for a landlord to demand more than one year's rent in advance from a new yearly tenant, or more than six months' from a new monthly tenant. Some areas, such as Ikoyi, Victoria Island, Apapa and Ikeja GRA, are exempt.
Agency, legal and caution fees
On top of the rent, you will usually pay an agency fee to the agent and a legal or agreement fee for preparing the tenancy agreement, each often quoted as a share of the rent. Many landlords also take a refundable caution deposit against damage, and homes in estates often charge a service charge for security, cleaning, water or power.
Ask for every fee in writing before you pay anything, and agree when and how the caution deposit will be returned. On Getspaceeasy, each fee is shown on the listing before you commit.
Tenancy agreement and receipts
Insist on a written tenancy agreement that names the landlord, the rent, the period, every fee and who pays for repairs. Read it fully before you sign.
Get a dated receipt for every payment, and pay by bank transfer where you can, so there is a record. Before you pay, make sure the person you are paying is the landlord, or an agent the landlord has authorised in writing.
Check power and water
Ask how many hours of grid power the home usually gets, whether there is a generator, inverter or solar system, and who pays for fuel and maintenance. Check the meter: whether it is prepaid, and whether there are unpaid bills on it.
Ask where the water comes from (a borehole or the public supply), whether it is treated, and test the taps and showers. In the rainy season, ask whether the street floods.
Never pay before a verified viewing
Do not pay rent, fees or an "inspection fee" for a home you have not seen in person or on a live video viewing you can trust. Fake agents often show homes they have no right to let, or collect money from several people for the same flat.
Checklist before you sign
- You have viewed the home in person, or on a verified live video viewing.
- You have checked that the person you are paying is the landlord or an agent with the landlord's written authority.
- You have every fee in writing: rent, agency fee, legal fee, caution deposit and any service charge.
- In Lagos, the rent in advance is within the Tenancy Law's limit, unless the area is exempt.
- You have a written tenancy agreement and have read it.
- You have checked power, the meter, water and drainage.
- You will get a dated receipt for every payment.
Scams to avoid
- "Agents" who show a home they have no authority to let, then disappear with the money.
- The same flat let to several tenants, each of whom has paid.
- Inspection fees, or payment to "secure" a home, before any viewing.
- Payment to a personal account that is not the landlord's or the authorised agent's.
- A rent far below similar homes nearby, with pressure to pay today.
Last reviewed October 29, 2026. General information, not legal advice; rules change. Check the official sources for your area and read your tenancy agreement before you sign.