Tenancy Agreement in Lagos: Clauses You Must Not Skip

TL;DR: A Lagos tenancy agreement must clearly state the parties, property description, rent amount and payment schedule, tenancy duration, fee breakdown (within legal caps), maintenance responsibilities, notice periods, and renewal terms. Never sign an agreement with blank spaces, vague repair clauses, or fees above the legal caps — what isn't written down will be argued later.

This is general guidance, not legal advice — confirm with your lawyer.

Most tenancy disputes I see aren't about bad people. They're about vague agreements. Two reasonable parties, one ambiguous clause, and suddenly everyone's lawyering up over something a single sentence could have prevented.

The Non-Negotiable Clauses

1. The parties and the property. Full names of landlord (or authorized agent) and tenant, plus a precise property description — address, flat number, what's included. "The flat at Lekki" has started actual court cases. Be specific.

2. Rent: amount, schedule, and method. The exact annual rent, when it's due, how it's paid (bank transfer — always traceable), and what happens on late payment. If the rent is subject to review, the agreement should say when and how — not leave it to anyone's mood.

3. Duration and renewal. Start date, end date, and what happens at expiry: automatic renewal terms, notice required for non-renewal, and any rent review mechanism. Year-to-year tenancies need explicit renewal language.

4. Fee breakdown within legal caps. Agency fee (max 10% of rent) and legal fee (max 10%) stated separately and explicitly. If the numbers exceed the caps, the agreement itself documents the violation — which tells you everything about the other party.

5. Maintenance and repairs. Who fixes what: the landlord typically handles structural issues; the tenant handles minor interior upkeep. But "typically" isn't a clause — write it down. Specify response timelines for essential repairs (plumbing, electrical, security).

6. Service charge and utilities. What's included in the service charge, who's responsible for utility bills, and how increases are handled. In serviced estates across Ikoyi, VI, and Lekki Phase 1, service charge disputes are the number one tenancy friction — nail this clause down.

7. Notice periods and termination. How much notice either party must give to end the tenancy, in line with the Tenancy Law's minimums. Include the procedure, not just the duration.

8. Restrictions. Subletting, alterations, commercial use, pets — whatever the rules are, state them. Tenants: read these before signing, not after your landlord objects to your home office renovation.

9. Inspection and handover condition. Record the property's condition at move-in (photos help enormously). This is your defense against end-of-tenancy damage claims — and the landlord's defense against pre-existing damage blame.

Red Flags in an Agreement

• Blank spaces left to be "filled in later" — never sign these
• Fees above legal caps presented as normal
• No maintenance clause at all — meaning every repair becomes a negotiation
• Vague renewal terms like "subject to review" with no mechanism
• Penalty clauses that are wildly disproportionate — these often don't survive legal scrutiny anyway
• Pressure to sign immediately without time to read or get advice

Before You Sign: The 10-Minute Check

Read the whole thing. Yes, all of it. Check the names, the address, the figures, and the dates — errors in these basics are shockingly common. Confirm the fee math against the legal caps. And if anything is unclear, ask. A landlord or agent who resents questions about the agreement will resent questions about everything else too.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a verbal tenancy agreement valid in Lagos? Verbal agreements can be enforceable, but they're extremely hard to prove. Always insist on a written agreement — it's your evidence for every term that matters.

What makes a tenancy agreement legally binding in Lagos? Offer, acceptance, consideration (the rent), and the parties' signatures — with terms that comply with the Tenancy Law. Having a legal practitioner prepare it adds professionalism and is factored into the legal fee cap.

Can a landlord change the agreement terms mid-tenancy? Not unilaterally. Changes require both parties' agreement. Rent reviews must follow whatever mechanism the agreement provides, with proper notice.

What should I do if my landlord won't give me a written agreement? Treat it as a serious red flag. Without written terms, every dispute becomes your word against theirs — and possession, as they say, is nine-tenths of the law, which favors whoever holds the property, not whoever holds the truth.

How long should a tenancy agreement be? As long as it needs to cover the clauses above clearly — typically a few pages. Length isn't the measure; completeness and clarity are. A two-page agreement covering everything beats a ten-page one full of contradictions.