Emmanuel Abel

2025-08-09 03:43:26 -

My Tenant-Landlord Dispute: A Personal Account

In November 2022, I paid for a flat and completed all the necessary legal paperwork. Shortly after, I discovered several maintenance issues and immediately informed the landlord. He assured me the repairs would be done within a week, but weeks passed with no action. Since my rent had already started counting, I eventually moved in, hoping he’d follow through. Unfortunately, he never did, and over time, the unresolved issues—especially a leaking roof—led to damage to my personal belongings.

As my one-year tenancy came to an end, the landlord’s behavior changed drastically. He became hostile and uncooperative, clearly trying to frustrate me. I even offered to handle the repairs myself, but he refused. It became obvious he wanted me out, despite having breached our agreement by neglecting the maintenance.

Then he sued me, making false and outrageous claims—accusing me of being a nuisance, disturbing neighbors, hallucinating, and causing harm to others. He even claimed I kept late nights, which was absurd since I work from home. On top of that, he denied a ₦100,000 loan I had given him when I first rented the flat, even though I had a receipt to prove it.

At the first court hearing, the judge advised us to try settling out of court and asked me to provide a move-out date. I said December 2024, and the judge agreed. But when I tried to move out that December, the landlord and his lawyer used the police to block me, claiming I couldn’t leave due to the ongoing case. I had to wait nearly a month for the next court sitting.

My initial lawyer was young and inexperienced, and couldn’t do much. My wife and I kept praying for God’s intervention. Things got worse when my phone—containing all the evidence of my dealings with the landlord—was mysteriously stolen, though I still had a few backups.

Eventually, a senior lawyer, who was also a pastor, took over my case. On the day of the third hearing, the landlord’s attorney ran out of the courtroom just before our case was called. Everyone was surprised, especially since he had been seen earlier. He was clearly afraid, because my lawyer had filed a counterclaim detailing the landlord’s misconduct and the damage to my property.

The judge adjourned the case and instructed me to report to the police so I could vacate the flat. When I did, the Divisional Police Officer gave me permission to move and warned the landlord and his lawyer not to interfere. Despite one last attempt to stop me, I stood my ground. After that, they never showed up in court again, and the case was eventually dismissed.

I’m deeply grateful to God for standing by me, especially when I didn’t have all the evidence I needed. Despite the challenges, justice prevailed.

My Tenant-Landlord Dispute: A Personal Account In November 2022, I paid for a flat and completed all the necessary legal paperwork. Shortly after, I discovered several maintenance issues and immediately informed the landlord. He assured me the repairs would be done within a week, but weeks passed with no action. Since my rent had already started counting, I eventually moved in, hoping he’d follow through. Unfortunately, he never did, and over time, the unresolved issues—especially a leaking roof—led to damage to my personal belongings. As my one-year tenancy came to an end, the landlord’s behavior changed drastically. He became hostile and uncooperative, clearly trying to frustrate me. I even offered to handle the repairs myself, but he refused. It became obvious he wanted me out, despite having breached our agreement by neglecting the maintenance. Then he sued me, making false and outrageous claims—accusing me of being a nuisance, disturbing neighbors, hallucinating, and causing harm to others. He even claimed I kept late nights, which was absurd since I work from home. On top of that, he denied a ₦100,000 loan I had given him when I first rented the flat, even though I had a receipt to prove it. At the first court hearing, the judge advised us to try settling out of court and asked me to provide a move-out date. I said December 2024, and the judge agreed. But when I tried to move out that December, the landlord and his lawyer used the police to block me, claiming I couldn’t leave due to the ongoing case. I had to wait nearly a month for the next court sitting. My initial lawyer was young and inexperienced, and couldn’t do much. My wife and I kept praying for God’s intervention. Things got worse when my phone—containing all the evidence of my dealings with the landlord—was mysteriously stolen, though I still had a few backups. Eventually, a senior lawyer, who was also a pastor, took over my case. On the day of the third hearing, the landlord’s attorney ran out of the courtroom just before our case was called. Everyone was surprised, especially since he had been seen earlier. He was clearly afraid, because my lawyer had filed a counterclaim detailing the landlord’s misconduct and the damage to my property. The judge adjourned the case and instructed me to report to the police so I could vacate the flat. When I did, the Divisional Police Officer gave me permission to move and warned the landlord and his lawyer not to interfere. Despite one last attempt to stop me, I stood my ground. After that, they never showed up in court again, and the case was eventually dismissed. I’m deeply grateful to God for standing by me, especially when I didn’t have all the evidence I needed. Despite the challenges, justice prevailed.

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