Nkechi Linda
New member
Your landlord just sold the property you are renting without telling you. Here is what Nigerian law says about your rights as a sitting tenant.
Imagine coming home from work only to find strangers inspecting the house. A few days later, someone tells you the property has been sold and that you must leave immediately because there is a “new owner.”
Most tenants panic, start packing and assume they have lost every right. That is not what the law says.
Under Nigerian law, the mere sale of a rented property does not automatically terminate an existing tenancy. A purchaser who buys property subject to an existing tenancy generally steps into the shoes of the former landlord and acquires the property together with the landlord’s rights and obligations under that tenancy.
The new owner cannot simply evict a lawful tenant because the property has changed hands.
If the new owner wants the property back, they must still follow the applicable tenancy agreement and the relevant Recovery of Premises Law in the State where the property is located. This usually means serving the appropriate statutory notices where required and obtaining a court order before recovering possession.
Self-help measures such as changing the locks, throwing out your belongings or disconnecting essential services are generally unlawful.
That said, your rights also come with responsibilities. You should continue paying rent to the person legally entitled to receive it once ownership has been properly communicated and, where necessary, supported with evidence.
If there is genuine uncertainty about who is entitled to collect the rent, seek clarification before making payment and keep proper records of all communications.
My advice is simple. Don’t panic because the property has been sold. Ask for proof of the transfer of ownership, keep copies of your tenancy documents and insist that the law is followed.
A change in ownership does not erase your legal rights as a sitting tenant, and no one should force you out without following due process.
#landlordandtenant
Imagine coming home from work only to find strangers inspecting the house. A few days later, someone tells you the property has been sold and that you must leave immediately because there is a “new owner.”
Most tenants panic, start packing and assume they have lost every right. That is not what the law says.
Under Nigerian law, the mere sale of a rented property does not automatically terminate an existing tenancy. A purchaser who buys property subject to an existing tenancy generally steps into the shoes of the former landlord and acquires the property together with the landlord’s rights and obligations under that tenancy.
The new owner cannot simply evict a lawful tenant because the property has changed hands.
If the new owner wants the property back, they must still follow the applicable tenancy agreement and the relevant Recovery of Premises Law in the State where the property is located. This usually means serving the appropriate statutory notices where required and obtaining a court order before recovering possession.
Self-help measures such as changing the locks, throwing out your belongings or disconnecting essential services are generally unlawful.
That said, your rights also come with responsibilities. You should continue paying rent to the person legally entitled to receive it once ownership has been properly communicated and, where necessary, supported with evidence.
If there is genuine uncertainty about who is entitled to collect the rent, seek clarification before making payment and keep proper records of all communications.
My advice is simple. Don’t panic because the property has been sold. Ask for proof of the transfer of ownership, keep copies of your tenancy documents and insist that the law is followed.
A change in ownership does not erase your legal rights as a sitting tenant, and no one should force you out without following due process.
#landlordandtenant