In Lagos, some female residents have voiced their frustrations regarding the discriminatory practices of landlords who refuse to rent properties to single women and mothers. These women have urged landlords to base rental decisions on creditworthiness and ability to pay rent rather than marital status or gender.
### Challenges Faced by Single Women
– **Titi Ogunseitan**, a single mother, shared her difficulty in securing an apartment in Magodo, highlighting judgmental attitudes from estate agents. Despite numerous attempts, she faced rejections based on flimsy excuses and ultimately had to stay with family friends.
– **Fisayo Kasali**, a self-employed tailor in Ikeja, echoed similar sentiments. She pointed out the prevalent biases against single ladies in the housing sector, which caused significant physical and mental stress during her house search.
– **Busola Lawal**, an insurance company employee in Alapere, struggled for over 11 months to find an apartment due to her single status. Eventually, she had to use a male friend to secure a place on her behalf.
– **Temi Farasimi**, a banker, emphasized that marital status should not determine rental eligibility and called on the Lagos State Government to enact laws protecting women from such discrimination.
### Landlords’ Perspectives
– **Demola Adesesan**, a landlord in Ogudu GRA, stated he does not discriminate based on gender and has female tenants. He emphasized providing a level playing field for all tenants.
– **Abass Oyewole**, another landlord, admitted preferring male tenants due to negative past experiences with female tenants. His experiences led him to avoid renting to women.
### Call for Change
The affected women called for an end to these discriminatory practices, urging landlords to consider their applications fairly. They emphasized the need for systemic change and legal protections to ensure equal treatment in the housing sector.