Renting to ‘slay’ queens in Lagos!
Renting to ‘slay’ queens in Lagos!
Paying rent is now transactional in relationships
My parents have this large house in one of the estates close to Lekki Phase 1 and we decided that we will carve it up into four 1-bedroom flats and I will live in one of the flats and rent out the other three. Because I was already living there and to make some quick money, I decided that I will be in charge of renting the place.
The first person who responded to the ‘To Let’ sign on the gate was an obviously wealthy middle-aged man who was more interested in how privately he could access the flat than any of its features. I was quite surprised that such a wealthy person was interested in such a place. I later realised that he rented the apartment to have sessions with his ‘side chicks’. Much cheaper and safer than hotels. Later, another friend joined him in the arrangement and sometimes there would be a clash of timetable and they will share the place and I assume the girls too. I did not like the arrangement and when the time for renewal came, I double the rent. They still paid as they had a third person join in the arrangement!
The second person who took up the place was a ‘student’ called Chinwe. How was she going to pay for the flat? I charged her double the rent and asked for two years in advance. I got payment of one year’s rent each from three different accounts. She asked for a ‘refund’ of one year’s rent overpayment. Three different men came visiting at different times. On more than one occasion, I had to lie for her when one of them popped up unannounced.
The third person who rented one of the flats was Ade. Tall and muscular, he said he was a personal trainer. That did not really fit into my tenant profile, so I asked for a guarantor. He gave the name of a top female bank executive but he said she will not give a written document, but I could see her in the office. So, I went to the bank, and she assured me that if Ade did not pay, she would. I was sceptical, so she then paid one year’s rent in cash as a ‘bond’. One night, I saw the very married bank executive leaving Ade’s flat.
I am now in a moral dilemma. I am getting double rent for my parents but living in a house of sin. This Lagos
Tenants Tales is a work of fiction. The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.