JUST IN: Cross River Govt Bans Agents From Inflating House Rents
The Cross River State Government has announced a ban on estate agents and property managers from arbitrarily increasing house rents across the state.
The directive, issued on Thursday by the Commissioner for Housing and Urban Development, Mrs. Grace Bassey, follows growing complaints from residents over exploitative rent practices, particularly in Calabar, the state capital.
Bassey stated that the government will no longer tolerate rent hikes not justified by improvements in property value or facilities. She noted that the move is part of Governor Bassey Otu’s effort to make housing more affordable for low and middle-income earners.
According to her, “We have received several reports of agents imposing outrageous charges on tenants. Henceforth, no agent or landlord should increase rent without due approval or justification. The Ministry will begin enforcement immediately.”
She added that a monitoring task force will be set up to ensure compliance and warned that erring agents risk losing their operating licenses.
Residents have welcomed the decision, describing it as a timely intervention to curb the excessive cost of accommodation in the state.