A landlord and his tenant in the Modugari area of Maiduguri, Borno State, have reached an agreement to share the cost of repairing parts of an apartment damaged by the recent flooding that devastated the city.
The flood, which displaced thousands of residents and destroyed properties worth millions of naira, led to a heated argument between landlord Moses Tegwolo and his tenant, Ahmed Isah, over who should bear the cost of repairs. The dispute began when Isah insisted that Tegwolo, as the landlord, should be responsible for fixing the damages caused by the flood.
Tegwolo, however, argued that the flooding was a natural disaster beyond his control, stating that he too had been affected by it.
“I was also hit by the flood and haven’t even repaired my side of the property yet. How can he expect me to be fully responsible for the damage? If he repairs it, he wants to deduct the cost from his rent, which I don’t agree with,” Tegwolo said.
READ ALSO: We’re dying, stop property demolition, landlords, residents beg Makinde
The tenant, Ahmed Isah, expressed frustration, recounting that he had already spent a significant amount of money fixing the apartment when he moved in. “I painted the room, repaired broken parts of the floor, and fixed the window. None of this was deducted from my rent. Now, after the flood, I am expected to fix the damaged floor, walls, and doors as well,” Isah stated.
READ ALSO: Landlord Dies After Argument With Tenant Over Unpaid Rent in Ogun State
After a lengthy verbal exchange, Tegwolo proposed bringing in a bricklayer to assess the damage and share the repair costs by percentage, a suggestion Isah eventually agreed to. “Since he has agreed to a percentage split, no problem. I just hope the division is fair, because things are tough,” Isah said.
READ ALSO: Thousands Ordered to Evacuate Amid Severe Flooding in Central Japan
Following the intervention of other tenants in the compound, both parties settled the dispute and agreed on a fair percentage division of the repair costs.