The housing situation in Lagos is becoming more difficult as both rising rent and indiscriminate inspection fees charged by property agents continue to increase the burden on people searching for accommodation.

Rent prices in highbrow areas are now reportedly between N2 million and N3 million for a two-bedroom apartment, while less urban areas still cost around N1 million to N1.5 million, making housing unaffordable for many residents.Beyond rent, house hunters also face repeated inspection fees demanded by agents before they are allowed to view apartments.

Several tenants shared experiences of paying between N3,000 and N10,000 per inspection, while others reported spending over N20,000 without successfully securing a place.Some also complained that after paying inspection fees, agents still failed to deliver suitable apartments or provided houses in poor condition.In some cases, fraud was reported where prospective tenants lost large sums of money to dishonest agents.

Students and low-income earners are especially affected, with some students forced to abandon housing searches due to high costs and settle for off-campus challenges or delay their academic activities.Real estate professionals are divided on the issue.

Some agents argue inspection fees are optional and help compensate for time spent showing properties to unserious clients, while housing experts insist that charging such fees is unprofessional and mostly associated with quack agents.They recommend better regulation of the sector to protect tenants and reduce exploitation.

Overall, the combination of high rent and unchecked agent practices is worsening Lagos housing deficit and making the search for accommodation increasingly stressful for residents.