9jah team
73
Seeded question. The 9jah team wrote this question and its answer on 2 September 2026 to start the site. The answer was checked on that date, but prices and rules in Nigeria change, so add what you know or correct it below.
Agent is asking for agent fee, agreement fee, caution fee and service charge. Which of these are normal?
What is common in Lagos and most cities: agent fee 10 percent of a year's rent, legal or agreement fee 10 percent (often negotiable to 5), a refundable caution deposit of 10 percent, and in gated estates a service charge for security, water and refuse. Upfront money is therefore often 130 to 150 percent of the rent.
The Lagos Tenancy Law says a landlord should not demand more than one year's rent in advance from a yearly tenant, but this is widely ignored. The Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority (LASRERA) registers agents; you can report an agent who collects money and vanishes.
Before paying: ask to see the title document, meet the landlord or a lawyer acting for them, and pay by transfer to a named account so there is a record.
Checked by the 9jah team on 2 September 2026. Corrections welcome.
