Media personality and actress Stephanie Coker Aderinokun has called out the alarming rates and questionable practices of Lagos housing agents, urging the Lagos State government to regulate the real estate sector.
Taking to her Instagram Stories, Stephanie expressed her frustration after an agent demanded a ₦20,000 non-negotiable viewing fee—an excessive and unnecessary charge.
“Lagos State needs to regulate housing agents. What exactly is this 20k viewing charge about?” she wrote. “One even said the agency fee is 20%. They just wake up and make their own rules, knowing there’s no regulation, so they can do as they please. It’s very unfair to prospective tenants.”
She questioned the logic behind demanding viewing fees, arguing that such costs should be factored into the agency’s overhead, not passed onto people simply looking for a place to live.
“The non-negotiable just made me weak. Viewing should be part of the agency’s operational cost,” she added.
Stephanie’s comments have resonated with many Lagosians, who took to social media to share similar experiences and frustrations with the often-unchecked housing agent system in the state.
Her outcry highlights the growing demand for transparency and accountability in the Lagos property rental market, especially amid Nigeria’s challenging economic climate.
