"Developers dupe over 100 prospective tenants
April 2, 2013 by Eniola Akinkuotu
http://www.punchng.com/metro/developers-dupe-over-100-prospective-tenants/
In what could have passed for an April Fool’s Day prank, some accommodation seekers who allegedly paid for a property situated at 12 Daniel Makinde Street, Ketu, Lagos realized on Monday that they had been duped.
A group of developers allegedly collected money on apartments from the accommodation seekers, telling them to come for their keys on Monday, but they were nowhere to be found.
PUNCH Metro learnt that the developers, now at large, collected sums of money ranging from N200,000 to N750,000 to rent out 14 flats.
Our correspondent, who visited the scene, saw many of the victims crying. Some of them expressed fears that they would soon be rendered homeless.
A victim, Opeyemi Okekunle, said, “In November last year, I saw on a poster that there was vacancy in the area and I called the phone number and one Adebayo Timothy Balogun, who told me that it would cost N180,000 for a ‘self-contained apartment’ while the flat was N480,000. I paid and I was issued a receipt
“In December, I came to take possession of the apartment but he told me that the house was still under construction. In January, I returned but he said I should come back in February. In February when I returned, I was told to remain calm.
“I kept coming everyday in March and I was told that everything would be ready on April 1. Little did I know that the developer was playing an April fool’s prank on me. On Sunday, a friend called me to say that she noticed people moving into the compound. On getting there, I was shocked to meet other people.”
PUNCH Metro learnt that some of the prospective tenants had been given keys to their respective apartments only to discover at the point of moving in that the locks had been changed.
It was also learnt that apart from Balogun, one Hakeem Olanrewaju and two other agents had also collected money from the victims.
Another victim, Bolanle Faleti, told our correspondent that , she and her husband had spent all their savings in securing accommodation. She said she had no clue where she, her husband and four children would lay their heads.
It was learnt that the landlord of the said property was late but his children and wives hired different developers.
A male victim, Tunde Olaleye, said he lives in Mushin but decided to leave the area with his family due to recurring violence. He said he had already paid a carpenter to start making furniture for his new apartment.
He said, “I stay in Mushin and at least three people have been killed in the area in the past one week. I decided to leave the area because it is not safe and my tenancy had already expired. I had believed I would move in today (yesterday) after paying N420, 000 for a two-bedroom flat.
“On getting to the flat I paid for, I noticed that someone else was already living there.”
Another victim, Onome Omojowe, who is a lawyer, said the matter had been reported at the Ketu Police Division and that a petition to be sent to the Commissioner of Police, Lagos State Command, the State Security Service and the office of the state governor was being prepared.
While addressing the victims, the Chairman, Ikosi/Isheri Local Council Development Area, Abdulfatai Oyesanya, urged them not to take the law into their own hands and allow the police to carry out investigations..
Our correspondent learnt that the victims had opened a register, recording their names and the amount of money each of them paid. As of the time our correspondent left the area, 100 people had written their names.
When contacted on the telephone, the spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said three suspects had been arrested. She however said the prime suspects were still at large"
Firstly Condolence to those people or Victims who have lost their money to these fraudulent developers. May they not go unpunished for causing misery and pains to so many families because of their greed and selfishness. But this Tenancy Scam has brought about some issues i wish to address to help people avoid such pitfalls next time it occurs. It is becoming very very rampant especially in Big cities in Nigeria where there is a mad rush for the limited apartments for rent and we all have to help ourselves to do something to prevent such sad occurence in future.
1. Before you rent an apartment your not too sure about, contact a lawyer to investigate the developers or Agent. He is in a better position to ask for certain tenancy agreements, leases, contracts or deeds of ownership that the Owner of Agent representative is asking for. He can spot out certain irregularities involved to assist you so as not to fall victim to these scumbags. Always ask questions when your not too sure about something. There is nothing like a silly question when your money is involved. Its better to ask a dumb question and get answers reluctantly than keep silent and presume all is well.
2.If your going it Alone without a Lawyer, make sure you visit the apartment personally. Inspect everything from the doors to the cupboards to the walls to see whether there are inherent defects in the building. Once you have done that, demand that you intend to pay for the apartment ONLY if you can see the Landlord or the Management team. If stories begin to crop out that the Landlord cannot be seen because he has travelled or that he stays in another state but you can pay the Agent and he will convey your wishes and money to the Landlord, be very suspicious and wary and walk away.
A landlord or Management team must always be accessible to a prospective tenant so that they can assess themselves who they want to lease the apartment too. No landlord wants to rent his or her apartment to just anyone, so they themselves would love to do background checks. When there is an absence of a proper question and answer session to know more about you, know its a scam if its only your money they are interested in. Once you hear 'PAY QUICK BECAUSE SO MANY PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN THE SAME APARTMENT AND ITS A FIRST COME FIRST SERVE THING' Without any special interest in you or your background, know its a sharp scam to get your money out quickly.
3. Dont pay for Uncompleted buildings too when you haven't seen the Owner or more especially Don't pay for an Uncompleted building when you know the apartment won't be completed within a reasonable period of time. An uncompleted building you could pay for should deal with only the interior part such as doors, windows, cupboards or sinks, not flooring, roofing, tiling, complete plumbing and major work that you should know will run into Millions of Naira before its completed. A scamming Landlord or Agent will just collect your money and use it to carry out minor works in the house and when your money is exhausted, they will go and look for other prospective tenants to use their money to complete the house and its the last set of people that paid money for the final completion of the House that will get the keys to the apartment and freeze you out. I should know what am talking about because i have also being a Victim of this particular Scam at KayFarm Estate Ogba and it was perpetrated by one manager at Sterling bank Marina. It took me 2 months to get 3/4 of my money back but at least i can count myself as one of the lucky ones. Please don't fall victim to these people after this.
4. Before you pay any Agent or Management Team make sure you visit the offices and ascertain the address of the Agents to confirm they exist. Also before any Agent or Management team collects your money make sure you ask them for a 'POWER OF ATTORNEY' duly signed and sworn to at a court given to the Agent by the Landlord. That will give you extra security to know your dealing with the right person or people and know who to hold responsible for any malfeasance but make sure you give the Power of Attorney to a Lawyer to help you check out the authenticity of it before you pay. A lot of Agents are running around claiming to represent the Landlord or have a direct link to him. Never pay an Agent without such Power of Attorney from the Landlord to do so on his behalf. Its not the Agent letting the house out but the Landlord and when wahala comes, you have no remedy to back you up.
5. Also before you pay for any Apartment,make sure you stay within the area and ask neighbors around about the apartment you intend to rent. Never Underestimate the power of getting friendly with the artisans living around that property because they have all the good juicy stories about the environment and people involv[b][/b]ed. A simple visit to the vulcanizer or woman selling minerals around in exchange for N100 can provide you with all the information the Agent won't pass across to you willingly. Once you hear frightening or skeptical stories about the Owner or apartment, its your Cue to disappear and run with your money.
6. If your paying for an Uncompleted building, never pay in full. If your so desperate and patient to wait for that uncompleted property you desire make sure you convey to the Owner or Agent that your paying part deposit to safeguard your interest too. If the Landlord is adverse to that and only wants the full payment without giving you any assurance or extra safeguard that the apartment will be yours, then walk away. He is only looking out for himself and your money. Who is looking after your own Interest and Your money?
7. If the house is not a new house, always ask for the tenancy agreements of the previous tenants there and past receipts of the previous tenants to know whether its the same Landlord or Agent that has been in charge of the property from time and not new people posing as owners with the intention of ripping you off. When you hear of more than 1 AGENT claiming to representing the Landlord then know something fishy is going on with that apartment.
8. Finally issuance of a receipt doesn't mean your the owner of that apartment. Make sure when your paying for an apartment, its operation collect receipt and collect the keys to take possession immediately. (No Dulling)
Don't collect receipt for an apartment whereby you cant take immediate
possession. Your just playing into the hands of these scammers because
they will do the same thing for hundreds of people until you realize you
are just one of the Victims that they have played a fast one over.With the above tips and advise, you will be able to avoid falling victim to these Tenancy Scams. Cheers
- Barr. Matto(Nairaland's Omonile Lawyer)
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