Moving into a Lagos flat? Here is exactly what agency and legal fees should cost, what the state government's benchmark says, and how to refuse the 10%+10% hustle.
The benchmark: the Lagos State Government's stated position is that agency fees should not exceed 10% of annual rent.
The bill: the Lagos State Tenancy and Recovery of Premises Bill proposes a 5% cap, mandatory LASRERA registration for every agent, remittance of collected rent within 7 working days, and receipts for every transaction — with fines up to ₦1,000,000 or two years' imprisonment. It has not been passed: do not quote it as law yet.
The regulator: LASRERA — the Lagos State Real Estate Regulatory Authority — registers practitioners and takes complaints. It has recovered hundreds of millions of naira from fraudulent agents. If a Lagos agent collects your money and disappears, LASRERA is your first stop.
Position as at September 2026, based on the Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2011 and the pending Tenancy and Recovery of Premises Bill.
Receipt every fee you pay, and lock the agreed fees into your tenancy agreement — both generate on your phone in about two minutes.
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Agency and legal fees — full national guide Tenancy agreement — Lagos Tenant rights — full guide