The Labour Party Governorship Candidate in Kano State, Alhaji Hamisu Santuraki, has promised the establishment of a Kano State Rent Regulation and Tenancy Agency to check arbitrary increases in house rents and protect tenants from exploitation if voted into office in 2027.
Santuraki, represented by his running mate, Comrade Abbas Ibrahim, said the proposed agency would regulate the rental market without imposing a blanket rent ceiling that could discourage investment in housing.
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He said the agency will establish transparent rent bands based on location, property type, size, condition, facilities and prevailing market conditions.
Under the arrangement, all rental properties and landlords would be registered, while estate agents would be licensed and subjected to clear rules on agency charges, receipts and professional conduct.
The agency would also regulate rent increases, require adequate notice to tenants and provide a complaint and mediation mechanism for cases involving arbitrary increases, illegal eviction, excessive agency fees and harassment.
Santuraki assured that gradually, a Rent Transparency Portal where residents could verify properties, landlords and licensed agents, check approved rent ranges and report violations.
He stressed that the proposed agency should complement, rather than duplicate, existing government institutions responsible for land administration, property registration, planning and revenue.
According to him, rent bands would be reviewed periodically using inflation, construction costs, property values, household income and actual rental market data.
“The objective is not to punish landlords, but to create a fair and transparent housing market where tenants pay fair rent and landlords receive fair returns,” Santuraki said.
He described the proposed policy as the “Kano State Fair Rent, Tenancy and Estate Agency Regulation Framework,” saying it would provide a structured response to the growing housing affordability crisis in the state.
