Section 7 Rent Control and Recovery of Residential Premises Law

Section 7 of the Rent Control and Recovery of Residential Premises Law of Lagos State 1997 is about Jurisdiction of the Tribunals. It provides as follows:

(1) A Tribunal shall have jurisdiction on application made to it by a landlord or
tenant or any interested person to determine in respect of any residential
accommodation let before or after the commencement of this Law, the standard rent
payable in respect of such accommodation within the limit of the rent prescribed in
the Schedule to the Order made under section 1 of this Law.

(2) In so far as jurisdiction conferred on the Tribunal in respect of the causes or
matters mentioned in the Schedule to this Law, Magistrate Courts shall, to the extent
that jurisdiction is conferred on the Tribunals, cease to have jurisdiction in relation to
such causes or matter.

(3) The jurisdiction of a Tribunal shall not be ousted by the defendant or respondent
setting up the title of a third person.

(4) Proceedings under this Law shall be brought before the Tribunal established in
the Local Government area within which the subject matter of the proceedings or the transaction given rise to the proceedings is located or was entered into.

(5) Subject to the provisions of this Law, a Tribunal shall be bound by the practice
and procedure in civil matters in the magistrate courts.

(6) Where a tenant has defaulted in paying his rent as at the commencement of this
Law and there is an application for the determination of any of the matters within the
Tribunals jurisdiction, before a Tribunal, the Tribunal may order the tenant to pay
such arrears of rent before the determination of the application.

(7) Notwithstanding the provisions of any law or enactment, for the purposes of this
Law, the jurisdiction of the Tribunal shall—
(a) not exceed the sum of N250,000 (Two hundred and fifty thousand naira);
(b) not exceed a term of 2 (two) years in the case of imprisonment.

[/membership]