Michaella Faith Wright
The rising cost of rent in The Gambia is placing significant strain on tenants, with many struggling to keep up with frequent increases in housing and shop rental prices. As the housing market tightens, house agents, landlords, and tenants are all expressing frustrations and calling for government intervention to ease the situation.
Several house agents, including Musa Jallow, Fatou Bojang, and Lamin Sanyang, shared the challenges they face while trying to meet the demands of both landlords and tenants.
Jallow explained, “People complain that the rents we find are high, but it’s because we negotiate based on landlords’ terms. Sometimes, landlords increase prices at the last minute, which leaves us in a difficult spot.”
Bojang added, “Agents like us rely on commissions, but some landlords don’t pay us what we’re supposed to earn. Despite the difficulties, we still try to help people find affordable homes.”
Sanyang also highlighted the difficulties of balancing expectations. “Landlords often blame us when tenants don’t pay on time, even though that’s beyond our control. We do our best to assist both sides, but it’s becoming harder with the current rent situation.”
Abdoulie Jobe, a landlord with three houses and shops in Latrikunda Germany, spoke to The Fatu Network about his experiences over the past 20 years. Jobe rents out rooms and parlours for D1,000 monthly, without requiring advance payments. His shops are also rented for D1,000 each.
Jobe emphasized the importance of building a community with his tenants. “It’s a blessing to see my children play with the tenants’ children. We live like a family,” he said.
Despite these connections, Jobe acknowledged the challenges of rental management. “Some tenants owe rent for up to three months, but I give them time to settle their debts,” he said. “I don’t depend on rent for survival, and I cover water bills for my tenants. I also installed separate electricity meters to avoid disputes over power bills.”
He urged landlords to show compassion. “We need to support each other. Treating houses purely as businesses only increases the burden on tenants.”
Amie Camara, a landlady in Bijilo, added that maintaining houses is becoming more expensive. “Renovations are costly, and some tenants struggle with payments, making it hard for us too. But we have to find a way to work together.”
Many tenants are struggling to keep up with the rising costs of rent. Fatou Baldeh, a tenant in Bijilo, said, “Prices keep increasing, and even Gambians like me are finding it hard to cope. Some of us don’t want to move back to family homes, but rent has become unbearable. Agents charge fees as high as D5,000 — equivalent to one month’s rent.”
She appealed to landlords for empathy. “We only have one Gambia, and many of us have no other place to go.”
Single mother Ida Sonko also shared her struggles. “Managing rent and taking care of my children is becoming harder. I’ve been evicted before, and I now rely on doing laundry for others to survive,” she said.
Sonko called for government intervention. “Life is becoming more difficult with these rent increases. The government needs to speak with landlords about making housing more affordable.”
Conclusion
The testimonies from house agents, landlords, and tenants highlight the growing challenges posed by rising rents in The Gambia. As prices continue to rise, all parties are calling for fairness, understanding, and government action to address the housing crisis.
While video interviews could have added further depth to these stories, many tenants were reluctant to appear on camera, reflecting the sensitivity and fear surrounding tenant-landlord relations.
