In Nigeria, most landlords refuse to rent out their houses to single women for so many reasons. According to findings, the foremost reason landlords avoid renting out their homes to single women is that they suspect them of being prostitutes.
A single woman who wants to get a house might have to be accompanied with a man or she would experience difficulties finding an apartment to rent.
Just of recent, a YouTuber identified as Chioma Okoye took to her Instagram page to lament bitterly about the ordeals she had faced at the hands of Lagos landlords all because she is a single woman.
According to her, she had faced one disappointment or the other from landlords while trying to acquire a comfortable property to rent in Lagos.
Chioma said that the first property she wanted to rent was one that had a swimming pool and cost N9.5 million but she was turned down over being single.
She also recounted how she was only successful in renting a property nine years ago because she pretended to be a married woman. Chioma narrated:
“I’m actually quite familiar with this experience as at 9 years ago with the last residence I rented at Abraham Adesanya. I had to lie to be one Mrs Afulabi and I remember getting embarrassed when the agent approached me in public in front of my friends and greeted me as Mrs Afulabi.”
Chioma continued to lament as she shared other experiences she had as a rejected tenant because of being unmarried. She wrote:
“I suffered the same fate with the second house with a price of 5 million. And now the one that absolutely broke the camel’s back is the third duplex in which I filled the form a few days ago. I have attached the details of this form as proof. The Lawyer rejected me outrightly saying the Landlord does not want to have a single woman as a tenant. Please can anyone tell me who I offended to be awarded this kind of treatment?”
Chioma eventually called on the Lagos state government to help because she is a person who works hard for her money and deserves to get a good place to stay.
Read her full post below:
”I really don’t understand the discrimination melted out on single women who are trying to acquire properties or rent a comfortable apartment for themselves especially in Lagos.
For weeks now, It has been one disappointment from one Landlord to another just because I am a single lady.
The first property with a swimming pool which was going to cost 9.5 million was something I genuinely wanted but I was turned down by the Landlord right after filling the form just because I’m a single woman.
I’m actually quite familiar with this experience as at 9 years ago with the last residence I rented at Abraham Adesanya. I had to lie to be one Mrs Afulabi and I remember getting embarrassed when the agent approached me in public in front of my friends and greeted me as Mrs Afulabi.
I am presently trying to relocate back to Lagos and dutifully run my businesses but renting a property has become problematic.
I remember watching @ubifranklintriplemg ‘s livestream with @medlinboss and she complained about this same issue. This attitude being dished out to single ladies is far from encouraging.
I suffered the same fate with the second house with a price of 5 million. And now the one that absolutely broke the camel’s back is the third duplex in which I filled the form a few days ago. I have attached the details of this form as proof.
The Lawyer rejected me outrightly saying the Landlord does not want to have a single woman as a tenant. Please can anyone tell me who I offended to be awarded this kind of treatment?
At this juncture, I am calling on the Lagos State Government @lagosstategovt to do something about this. I am not a fraudster, neither am I a terrorist or someone that poses any form of threat. I work hard for my money and all I require as a citizen of this country is a comfortable place to stay that I can afford.
Also, If there’s any agent who has a duplex for rent with an estimate of 4-10 million and does not care about my marital status can please dm me. I am utterly drained and scared to reach out to any more agents because of fear of getting this same treatment.
