This is a sample Notice to Quit Letter in Nigeria to serve your Tenants. Here you will find how quit notice looks like either from Landlord or from a Lawyer.
Landlord-tenant disputes are common in Nigeria due to intolerable acts especially from tenants which usually include late payment or even non-payment of rents, causing serious damage to property, doing illegal activities on the premises like using hard drugs and prostitution or even constituting nuisance to other tenants.
Sometimes the landlord might be the one causing rancour by unfairly increasing rents without performing repairs on the premises or being too pedantic and prying into the private lives of his tenants. In cases of such conflict, it is reasonable that such unwanted tenancy agreement should be brought to an end in a lawful way.
It is advised that a landlord seeking to evict an unwanted tenant from his property should get in touch with a lawyer instead of resorting to self-help which may cause more trouble for the landlord since forcible ejection sometimes may amount to a criminal offence.
Every state in Nigeria has its own laws regulating the recovery of premises leased or rented out. For instance, in Lagos we have the Rent Control and Recovery of Residential Premises Law of 2003 and Lagos Tenancy Law of 2011. These laws provide that eviction of a tenant by a landlord should be initiated by issuing a Notice to Quit which can be drafted by the landlord himself or an agent of his such as a lawyer.
The Notice is usually issued before the expiration of the tenancy agreement.
A valid Notice to Quit must contain the following:
• A demand that the tenant must quit, pay up any arrears on rent and deliver up possession of the property at a particular date.
• The nature of the tenancy (weekly, monthly or monthly). This will determine the length of time to be given to the tenant to give up possession.
• The date the Notice to Quit is to expire. This will start counting from the date of delivery i.e. the date the tenant got the letter of notice.
• The name of the landlord or his agent. If the letter is drafted by an agent, he must specify his authority in the Notice.
• The name of the tenant and the address of the property.
See: 11 Crimes You Probably Didn’t Know Thank Can Land You in Prison
Now let’s see a sample of a valid Notice to Quit in Nigeria.
SAMPLE NOTICE TO QUIT BY LANDLORD
TO: Mr. Zack Bassey
ADDRESS: Flat 2, Block 6, Merimeri Estate, Lagos State.
DATE: June 1, 2016.You are hereby required to quit and give up possession of the property which you currently occupy at Flat 2, Block 6, Merimeri Estate in Lagos state on or before December 1, 2016. This is due to the incessant nuisance you have been causing fellow tenants in the property by playing loud music every day and even late at nights. It has also come to my knowledge that you throw parties every Friday night inviting people of questionable character such as strippers and that excessive drinking, smoking and other indecent acts go on in the premises resulting most times in damage to my flat. As a matter of fact, I need the flat for personal use and I will need to repair the premises: so, pack out.
Furthermore, you are required to pay up all outstanding bills such as the electricity bill and water bill which you have not paid since the beginning of this year. You must also ensure that the premises of the flat is in good condition before your departure.
Finally, if you fail to settle all your outstanding bills and also fail to vacate the premises of the flat before or on the said date, a lawsuit will be instituted against you in a competent court of law for the full payment of all your arrears and for your lawful ejection. I advise you to pay up and pack out to avoid the embarrassment and extra expense.
Notice issued on this day, June 1, 2016.
This Notice is given pursuant to Section 13 of the Lagos State Tenancy Law of 2011.
LANDLORD: Chief K.O Merimeri
A sample of Notice to Quit letter drafted by a lawyer in Nigeria will take a different approach but convey the same message.
SAMPLE NOTICE TO QUIT BY A LAWYER
OBIALOR & UNEKUOJO’S CHAMBERS
Barristers, Solicitors, Legal Consultants and Notary Public
1, Obialor & Unekuojo Close, off Onikoyi/Banana Island, Lagos state, Nigeria.Flat 2, Block 6,
Merimeri Estate,
Lagos State.
June 1, 2016.Mr. Zack Bassey,
A NOTICE TO QUIT
I have express authority from Chief K.O Merimeri, the landlord of the flat which are occupying currently as a tenant at Flat 2, Block 6, Merimeri Estate to issue you this notice to quit and deliver up possession of the said flat on or before December 1, 2016. The landlord needs the flat for personal use and it has even been reported that so much damage has been done to the premises due to the indecent and illegal activities which have been perpetrated therein ranging from loud parties to drinking and smoking excessively and even prostitution. In fact, most of your fellow tenants have complained at different times of nuisance from you.Furthermore, you are required to pay the electricity and water bills which are outstanding on your account since the commencement of this year: and importantly, ensure to keep the flat in a tenantable condition before your departure.
TAKE NOTICE that in the event of refusal to comply with the above demands, a lawsuit will be instituted against you in a competent court of law to evict you and to recover all payment arrears accordingly.
OBIALOR CHIDI (SAN)
Read Also: How to Lawfully Eject a Stubborn Tenant from your House
That’s it. Thanks.