5 questions Lagos landlords will ask you before they accept your rent

Getting an apartment in Lagos usually goes beyond what your money can simply do for you. Sometimes, you might have to sit with your prospective landord to answer some questions before your tenancy and rent could be accepted.

If you’ve ever searched for a house in Lagos, you’ll know that the process of renting an apartment in the city is long and tedious. It could take you three to four months to get an apartment you really like.

Although, if you have money, you can ask an agent to do the legwork for you, but hey, you can’t completely rely on Lagos agents.

However, when you eventually find your choice apartment, it’s very important you get your rent and yourself ready to meet the landlord because you’ll surely have some questions to answer.

Based on experience of some Lagos tenants, here are five questions you should expect from your landlord when you get the apartment you really like.

1. Are you married?

The reason why landlords about prospective tenants' marital status is best known to them. Pulse Nigeria

If you think your marital status has nothing to do with getting an apartment in Lagos, then you’re not ready to live in the city. Landlords ask this question for different reasons. Some of them believe it is ideal to rent their apartments to married men because they’re adjudged to be responsible. Others think it’s better to have bachelors in their houses because they don’t want family men to overcrowd their houses.

For ladies looking for an apartment, it's a different kettle of fish. Many landlords are very reluctant to rent their apartment to women especially single ladies. Some of them do this because of their negative perceptions about single women.

2. Where do you work?

Ever wondered why Lagos landlords care about what you do for living? (blackstarliner.ca) Pulse Nigeria

The kind of work you do is a big concern for many landlords in Lagos. This is like the most important thing they want to know about you. Lagos landlords always want to be sure they’re renting their property to someone who’s financially okay. Someone who’ll never fail to pay his/her rent as at when due.

3. What is your religion?

Lagos landlords also care about your religion. Pulse Nigeria

In Nigeria, religion is a very big thing. Many of us associate with people based on the religion they practise. Sad, but that is it. It is for the same reason a landlord will ask about your religion to know your religious affiliations.

Some landlords might even go further to ask about the church you attend, while the Muslim among them may care to know if you belong to any Islamic group. In the end, they don’t use this against any tenant, they just want to know if you’re Muslim or Christian.

4. Which state are you from?

Lagos Landlords often ask prospective tenants these questions before they accept their rents. Pulse Nigeria

This question is often asked based on their experience with past tenants and not out of curiosity to know about you. A typical Lagos landlord probably believes a prospective tenant from a particular state will behave like his past tenants who are from that same state.

Some landlords’ experience and stereotypical judgement about people from other states sometime determine who lives in their property.

5. Why do you want to leave your present apartment?

Lagos landlord can ask you anything about you. Pulse Nigeria

Like hiring managers, Lagos landlords are interested in the reason you are leaving an apartment to move into theirs. To answer this, you’ve to give them genuine and convincing reasons because oga landlord might think you left your former apartment because you had problems with the landlord.