It may seem as though there are unwritten laws when it comes to finding a new residential or office space. You have to face dragons with a bow and quiver, conquer raging seas on a canoe, wager the scorching sun to a battle or surmount treacherous winds by trusting only your wits. It can be wild. There’s a common experience that has been registered in the minds of people in need of personal, business or work spaces through conversations, rumors, social media updates amongst others and this experience has either met expectations or surpassed it. The sad reality is these experiences are not all good testimonials. Here’s how a few people recounted their experiences:

Robert: Staying in a shared apartment had its advantages. However, with the multiple engagements I was getting and the future I envisaged, I had to rethink my accommodation standard, leading to a conclusion that I needed a change. I sort the services of multiple agents who I had to engage with logistics allowance, pay for documentation; or so they called it, before embarking on any inspection. It took seeing over 8 properties that were below standard before finally settling for the one I’m currently staying at.

Kelvin: I have only had to move houses once and my experience wasn’t great. Like most people, I worked with agents who took me to inspect houses which were either not ready and I had to pay for it to be fixed up, plumbing issues were not sorted, or the rooms were not properly ventilated. To top it up, I had to fund every inspection, send airtime for the agents to call other agents who may have what I am looking for, all these while finding composure because the pressure to get a space was high and time dependent. Finally, I stumbled on rentsmallsmall who did not request any inspection or documentation fee and they got me somewhere I was satisfied with and I’ve been there since.

Bose: My house hunting experience was actually hilarious or so I like to look at it because, I don’t like stress. Looking for a one-bedroom apartment in the suburbs of Ikoyi, since my new job was no longer fully remote, I bit a little more than I could chew. With my budget and no prior knowledge of the rent charge in Ikoyi, I was taken to houses that were not at all what I expected. Imagine looking for a one-bedroom and you are being taken to a hostel like space and I’m not exaggerating. Picture a room that’s just your arm span, with a kitchen that only fits a sink and a table top fridge, no door, and a toilet beside it with no shower. I had two options, raise my budget or go for a shared apartment and I jumped on the latter option which was a really good decision. I’m sure that with time, I will be able to afford something better.