‘What We Pay Monthly Here Is Higher Than Our Annual Rent In Nigeria’
Nigerians who recently relocated to the United Kingdom (UK) have listed accommodation as the major challenge they are facing in the country.
Other challenges those who spoke with our correspondent listed are getting Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) which will enable them extend their stay, lack of social life and low chances of getting professional jobs which match their qualifications.
Aside that, those who spoke with TheScrutinyNG said “the decision to leave Nigeria for UK, though stressful and financially demanding was worth it, especially when you consider good governance, the quality of life, healthcare, electricity and good start in life for children”.
Ayomide, a mother of two and her husband moved to the UK in January 2023. According to her, they sold their property in Lagos and used the money to finance her schooling and family relocation to Kent in UK.
“It was tough when we arrived. We first stayed in a hotel for few days while looking for accommodation. My husband was frustrated as he was converting naira to buy pounds. After a while, we got an AirbnB apartment where we stayed for two months. Most two bedroom apartments we got, rejected our application because they said my son is 11 and needs to have a separate room. They said he can’t share same room with my daughter”
“After we managed to get a two bedroom apartment, they were asking us to get a guarantor and filled some forms before signing the contract. It was a long, arduous process but eventually we concluded and we have settled down to some extent”.
Benjamin Onwe relocated to UK with his wife and three children in September 2023. According to him, he was paying N1.5m as annual rent for a four-bedroom apartment in Surulere area of Lagos.
He said ” Accommodation is a major challenge here in UK. I stay in Plaistow and a three bedroom apartment here ranges between £1,500 to £2,500 monthly . When you convert £1,500 to naira at the current exchange rate on Lemfi, that amounts to N2.7m. So, what we are paying here monthly is higher than our annual rent in Nigeria. Then we also have to furnish the apartment and pay other bills. It was tough but the sacrifice is worth it” he said.
BATTLE WITH MOULD
Another major problem accommodation seekers encounter in UK is houses with mould issues.
Mould is a type of fungus that can grow on walls, ceilings, and floors. It’s often found in damp or leaky buildings, which can lead to respiratory problems some people. Roughly 1 in 5 homes in the UK suffer with condensation damp – the biggest catalyst for mould growth.
Narrating her experience, Alero a single lady who just secured a job in London said she got an apartment in January and started experiencing mould issues in March. She said the mould spread everywhere and attempts to get rid of it through cleaning and usage of chemicals didn’t work.
” After enduring for three months, I wrote to the agency through whom I got the house and asked that they give me a better apartment or refund. They refused and said nothing can be done as I have signed a one year contract which is binding”.
” After seeking professional advice from people, I was told to take pictures of the apartment and report them to the council. That was when they agreed that I can leave. I think the mould is always severe during winter when everywhere is cold. So, someone who got an apartment during summer when the weather is hot may not really know if the house has mould issues or not”.
As a means of reducing pressures on accommodation, transportation, healthcare, public schools and other facilities due to immigration into the country, the UK government, through its Home Office has put in place a law that prohibits Nigerian students, and others studying in the country from bringing family as dependents except under specific circumstances.
Last month, a report by Guardian UK says the number of people being made homeless jumped by 16% in the final three months of 2023, according to the latest government figures, which laid bare the scale of the country’s housing crisis.
“Figures published by the government on Tuesday show nearly 45,000 households in England were assessed as homeless in the three months to December, up from just under 39,000 during the same period in 2022”.
“The figures also show the number of people – including children – in temporary accommodation hit record levels in 2023, triggering warnings of a housing “emergency”.
Mike Amesbury, the shadow minister for homelessness, said: “These stats reveal a growing Tory housing emergency being felt by families in every part of the country. Over the past 14 years, the Tories have taken a wrecking ball to the foundation of a secure home, leaving Britain facing a homelessness epidemic.
“Under this government’s watch, kids are growing up in temporary accommodation, coming home from school to do their homework on the bathroom floor of a hotel room and eating dinner perched on their bed.
