Service charge disputes are common in Lagos. Tenants suspect the service charge is a hidden rent increase; landlords point to the rising cost of diesel, security and refuse collection. The Tenancy Law of Lagos State 2011 sets out what each side can expect.
One thing to check first: the Law does not apply everywhere in Lagos. Section 1(3) exempts Apapa, Ikeja GRA, Ikoyi and Victoria Island, and some kinds of premises, such as staff and student housing run by schools, are outside it too (section 1(2)).
Receipts: section 5 for rent, section 10 for service charge
Section 5 requires a landlord to give a receipt for every rent payment, showing the date, the names and addresses of landlord and tenant, the premises, the amount and the period it covers. A landlord who doesn't is liable on conviction to a fine of ₦100,000.
Section 10 covers money paid as a security deposit, for services and facilities, or as service charge in flats or units that share common parts. For these payments, the landlord or agent must give the tenant a separate receipt.
A written account at least every six months
Section 10 also gives the tenant the right to a written account from the landlord, at least every six months, of how that money was spent.
- Ask for the account in writing, and keep a copy of your request.
- Keep service charge receipts separate from rent receipts.
- Section 10 doesn't say what happens to money left over at the end of a period. Your tenancy agreement or the estate's rules may.
When a dispute escalates
The Law lets the parties use the Lagos Multi-Door Courthouse or the Citizens Mediation Centre without giving up their right to go to court (section 2(3)). Section 44 makes it an offence to forcibly eject a tenant, to threaten or molest a tenant to make them leave, or to willfully damage the premises, with a fine of up to ₦250,000 or up to six months in prison. Withholding payment in a dispute carries its own risks, so get advice before doing it.
A new Lagos tenancy bill was introduced in 2025. When Premium Times reported on it in November 2025 it was still a draft, so check whether it has since become law before relying on this guide.
