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Landlady drags construction firm to court over rent arrears

By Hendrix Oliomogbe, Asaba
02 November 2015   |   4:26 am
AN Ughelli, Delta State landlady, Mrs. Victoria Oteheri, has dragged construction company giant, SETRACO Nigeria Limited to court in Ughelli over a sum of N3.9 million allegedly owed her by the company as arrears of rent accrued on her building for the months of January, 2012 to May, 2015. In a statement of claim by…

court.jpg-citynewsAN Ughelli, Delta State landlady, Mrs. Victoria Oteheri, has dragged construction company giant, SETRACO Nigeria Limited to court in Ughelli over a sum of N3.9 million allegedly owed her by the company as arrears of rent accrued on her building for the months of January, 2012 to May, 2015.

In a statement of claim by counsel, Mr. T.C Ubini, Mrs. Oteheri alleged that the company had taken possession of the property on
June 1, 2005, after agreeing to lease it for two years for the sum of N1, 728, 000, at the rate of N72, 000 per month.

In suit no UHC/63/2015, the claimant is also seeking the payment of N13.4 million for damages allegedly caused to the property, a six flat storey building said to be situated at 40 Amekpa Street, Ughelli.

She alleged that the tenancy was reviewed upon wherein the defendants accepted paying the sum of N2, 299, 968 being payment for two years rent in advance at the rate of N95, 832 and that the defendant made payment of rent until January 2012, but was told that the tenancy
would not be renewed.

The plaintiff said that on inspection of the property by both parties, she discovered that the building was manifestly damaged by the soldiers that the defendant put in the property as against the initial agreement that the company’s expatriates intended to live in the
building, adding that she demanded that the property be repaired and put in good tenantable condition in compliance with the tenancy
agreement.

Continuing, she claimed that the parties had after the inspection agreed that the property required a wholesome renovation to the sum of
N13 million to N15 million but is disappointed that the matter was being treated with levity by the company’s Area Manager and Project
Manager at its branch office in Ughelli.

According to her, the defendant was in arrears of rent to the sum of N3, 929, 112, adding that the property had been “lying in waste since
December, 2011 and the defendant who is in possession has allowed the property to ruin, depriving the claimant the keys to the property.”

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