Tenant Tales: Lagos Life: Should adult children pay ‘rent’ to their parents?
Father’s story: By sheer luck, I got a house with a mortgage payment plan on what has become one of the high streets in Surulere. Then, in the 1970s, it was a very quiet street with mostly civil servants like me living there bringing up our children. Then in the 1990s, the character of the street changed with finance houses and other commercial ventures renting the houses for vastly exaggerated rents and paying up to five years in advance. Many of my neighbours collected huge sums and moved away, and the street became commercialised. Over the years, others joined them, some sold, and I was virtually the only residential property on the street. My children and I did not mind. During the day, we were out, and when we came back at night, the street was quiet, and the commercial firms had good security, so the street was extremely safe.
Related Posts
Then my wife and I retired, and the street was not so pleasant to live in for us. But not my son. He did up the back house for my wife and me to live in while he took over the main house, using it for his residence and business. It is the ideal location for him. Recently, I got a letter from a new bank offering me N10m per annum and 5 years in advance. Wow, with this, I could add money to it and buy a nice bungalow with grounds in a quieter part of Lagos. When I broached it with my son, he was against it. So, I asked him to match the bank’s offer. He was flabbergasted – asking me if I could charge my own son rent. Why not? He is being selfish.
Tenant Tales
Son’s version: Over the years, my dad has forced us to live in a commercial location because it was close to his office and the nightlife he has always enjoyed. We used to have friends and neighbours, but over the years, as the area became commercial, we lost all of them. But Popsie did not really care as the location was ideal for him. As my siblings left the house and all of them japaed, I was the only one left in the country to take care of them. So, I moved back in, arranged the back house into a lovely guest chalet and did it up with a mini-gym, and big screen TV all on one floor as they have mobility issues. They have access to my company car and driver during the day, free generator hook-up, and I can help them out with their daily issues. Now the house is perfectly located for my start-up, requiring great internet connectivity and being physically close to commercial firms. Imagine my great surprise when Dad said he wanted to rent out the house! I explained my situation, and then he came up with the incredible notion that I should pay him commercial rent!! With all my contributions to remodeling the house, I did not pay him a penny. Daddy should not bring commercial considerations into the family living arrangements. He belongs to a generation that Nigeria was very favorable to them while we are facing daily ‘wipe out’ struggles. He is now saying that I should pay rent if only to show that my business is sustainable without the benefit of a free house and that it is a matter of financial training. And he is sending all these by WhatsApp messages! Well, I am not supposed to raise my voice to my father so I will keep my peace….unless he raises the issue again.