Before renting in a gated estate in Nigeria, do not judge the property only by the house, kitchen, tiles or compound.
You also need to understand how the estate itself works.
A good apartment can become frustrating if the water is unreliable, visitors spend twenty minutes at the gate, electricity debts belong to the previous tenant or an unexpected N500,000 service charge appears after you move in.
These 15 questions can help you uncover those problems before paying.
What should you ask about rent and estate charges?
1. What is the total amount I need to pay before moving in?
Ask for the complete figure.
That may include:
- rent;
- caution or security deposit;
- legal fee;
- agency fee;
- service charge;
- estate dues;
- access cards;
- vehicle tags;
- and other approved move-in charges.
Do not budget only for the advertised rent.
Ask which payments are one-off and which will return every year.
2. How much is the current service charge?
Ask for the actual amount and what it covers.
Typical services may include:
- security;
- waste collection;
- common-area lighting;
- water;
- cleaning;
- landscaping;
- gate operations;
- and maintenance.
Also ask whether the charge is fixed for the year or can change.
Our guide to estate dues vs service charge in Nigeria explains the difference between the common charges residents encounter.
3. Are there other levies currently outstanding?
An estate may have an approved road, transformer, security or drainage levy that is not included in the normal service charge.
Ask before signing the tenancy.
You do not want to move in and discover a major levy several weeks later without knowing whether the owner or tenant is responsible for it.
What should you check about electricity and water?
4. Does the property have its own electricity meter?
Confirm this physically where possible.
Ask for:
- meter number;
- whether it is prepaid or postpaid;
- current balance;
- and whether the meter belongs exclusively to the property.
NERC states that electricity customers have rights to transparent billing and a properly installed functional meter. (NERC)
If power is shared between several properties, ask exactly how each household's electricity cost is calculated.
5. Is there any outstanding electricity debt on the property?
This question is particularly important.
NERC specifically advises people moving into apartments to check the electricity billing status before renting. If a new occupant discovers an outstanding bill from a previous customer, NERC says the DisCo should be notified so the debt can be assigned to the appropriate customer. (NERC)
Take a photograph of the meter and meter balance around the time you take possession.
That creates a useful starting record.
6. How reliable are water and backup power?
Ask where the estate's water comes from.
Is it:
- borehole;
- public supply;
- tanker;
- or a combination?
Then ask:
- Is water available every day?
- Is it treated?
- Is water included in the service charge?
- Is there a separate meter?
- What happens when the pump fails?
If the estate has a generator or another backup system, ask when it operates and how the cost is funded.
Do not accept only the phrase constant light.
Ask what the actual arrangement is.
How does security and visitor access work?
7. How will my visitors enter the estate?
Some estates require residents to call the gate.
Others use:
- visitor codes;
- QR passes;
- intercoms;
- access cards;
- or digital visitor management.
Ask the agent or landlord to demonstrate the actual process.
If possible, watch the gate during your inspection.
Look at whether cars are properly checked or simply waved through.
A modern gate should not require three phone calls every time somebody visits.
See how to get visitors into an estate without phone calls.
8. What happens during an emergency or late at night?
Ask:
- Is security available 24 hours?
- Is there a security phone number?
- How do residents raise an emergency?
- What happens if there is a fire or medical emergency?
- Can an ambulance enter immediately?
- What happens if the internet at the gate fails?
These questions tell you more about estate security than simply counting guards.
Also ask whether visitor entry and exit are actually recorded.
Security should be a working process, not just people sitting at the gate.
Which estate rules could affect your lifestyle?
9. What are the parking rules?
Do not assume your visitors can park anywhere.
Ask:
- How many resident vehicles are allowed?
- Is there dedicated parking?
- Where do visitors park?
- Can cars stay on internal roads overnight?
- Are commercial vehicles restricted?
Parking problems can become a daily source of disagreement.
Read the estate parking rules guide for common issues to check.
10. What rules cover noise, parties, pets and short lets?
Ask for the estate rules before moving in.
They may regulate:
- parties;
- loud music;
- pets;
- commercial activities;
- Airbnb or short lets;
- outdoor events;
- generators;
- and use of shared spaces.
A rule that matters little to one person may be a deal-breaker for another.
If you regularly host events, own a large dog or operate partly from home, find out before signing.
11. Are there restrictions on renovations and artisans?
You may want to:
- install air conditioners;
- repaint;
- change plumbing;
- install satellite equipment;
- fit an inverter;
- replace doors;
- or make other alterations.
Ask whether landlord approval, estate approval or both are required.
Also ask what hours artisans are allowed to work and how they enter the estate.
The wider estate house rules guide covers the rules new residents should request before moving.
What should you inspect around the property itself?
12. Who pays when something breaks?
The tenancy agreement should make repair responsibilities clear.
Ask about:
- plumbing;
- electrical faults;
- air conditioners;
- water heaters;
- pumps;
- structural defects;
- doors;
- appliances supplied with the property;
- and common-area faults.
Do not wait until the water heater fails before discovering that you and the landlord have completely different ideas about who should replace it.
Before moving in, document the condition of the property.
Take photographs of existing:
- cracks;
- stains;
- damaged fittings;
- broken tiles;
- scratched doors;
- faulty appliances;
- and other visible defects.
This can also protect your caution deposit later.
13. Does the estate have a flooding or drainage problem?
An inspection on a sunny afternoon may not reveal what happens during heavy rain.
Look for:
- deep drains;
- blocked channels;
- water marks;
- unusually raised entrances;
- damaged roads;
- low-lying sections;
- and signs of repeated water accumulation.
Ask residents or nearby businesses what the area is like during heavy rainfall.
Do not depend entirely on the agent's answer.
Also check the road leading to the estate, not only the road inside it.
A dry internal road means little if access becomes difficult whenever the surrounding area floods.
Who is responsible for old bills and estate arrears?
14. Are there existing estate debts attached to the property?
Ask management if possible.
The property may already have:
- unpaid service charge;
- estate dues;
- special levies;
- water bills;
- electricity debt;
- or other arrears.
Do not automatically accept responsibility for debt that arose before your tenancy.
Ask when the charge arose and who was responsible.
This is another reason the landlord and estate management should confirm the property's opening financial position before you move in.
15. Which bills are mine and which belong to the owner?
Put this in writing.
Your tenancy agreement should make clear who pays:
- estate service charge;
- association dues where applicable;
- water;
- electricity;
- waste;
- major special levies;
- property repairs;
- and other estate expenses.
Do not rely on a verbal promise that the landlord will handle it.
Our guide on who pays estate dues in Nigeria explains why routine services, ownership-related charges and special levies may need different treatment.
NERC's current Customer Protection Regulations also distinguish between the registered property owner and the person authorised to use and settle electricity bills at the premises, which is another reason occupancy and billing responsibility should be clear. (NERC)
What does a well-managed estate look like before you move in?
Good management should be visible before you become a resident.
You should be able to get clear answers about:
- your house;
- your bills;
- visitor access;
- estate rules;
- security;
- maintenance;
- notices;
- and who handles problems.
Kompound is designed to put those functions into one estate system.
In a Kompound-managed estate, the current platform allows residents to create visitor passes, receive notices, see dues and payments, report estate issues and raise emergency SOS alerts. (Kompound)
Visitor access is linked to the household. A resident creates a six-digit visitor pass, and the gate can verify the visitor and host while recording entry and exit. (Kompound)
The platform also keeps household billing and payment history connected to the estate account rather than requiring every new resident to depend on an old spreadsheet.
Kompound's privacy policy states that authorised estate management and security see information relevant to their roles, while other residents cannot see another household's personal or financial information. It also states that location is used when a resident raises an emergency SOS rather than being continuously tracked. (Kompound Privacy)
Kompound also says residents do not pay separately just to use the estate app. Visitor passes, issue reporting and SOS are included for households in estates using the platform. (Kompound Pricing)
Whether the estate uses Kompound or another system, the standard is the same.
Before paying for a property, you should be able to understand how the community operates.
Check the house.
Check the estate.
Check the meter.
Check the bills.
Check the rules.
And ask about old debts before they become your problem.
A thirty-minute conversation before paying can prevent months of arguments after moving in.