PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA; A CASE STUDY OF KADUNA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Residential property management is emerging as a managerial science today (Kyle and Baird, 1995). It
transcends beyond the role of rent collector (Li, 1997). Managing a residential property involves establishing
goals, objectives and policies and implementation of strategies to achieve those goals and objectives. Singh
(1994, 1996) posited that residential property management is an activity that seeks to control interests in
property owner and particular purpose for which the property is held. Wong (1999) considers residential
property management as the work carried out to manage and maintain the development including its facilities at
the level that will retain or enhance the value of the residential property, create a safe, functional and conducive
living environment for occupants, keep or restore every facility in efficient working order and in good state of
repair, and project a good appearance or image for the development. Ismail (1996) regards residential property
management responsibility as including all the necessary making to ensure the economic and physical vitality of
residential property assets.
Residential property management is also the management of personal property, equipment, tooling and physical
capital assets that are acquired and used to build, repair and maintain the residential property. Property
management involves the processes, systems and manpower required to manage the life cycle of all public
residential property as defined above including acquisition, control, accountability, responsibility, maintenance,
utilization and disposition (Njoku, 2006).
According to Ebie (2012), duties involved in residential property management generally will include a minimum
of these basic primary tasks
1. The full and proper screening or testing of an tenants/applicant’s credit, criminal history, rental history and
ability to pay.
2. Lease contracting or accepting rent using legal documents approved for the area in which the property is
located.
3. Mitigation and remediation regarding any maintenance issues, generally within a budget, with prior or
conveyed consent via a Limited Power of Attorney legally agreed to by the property owner.
There are many facets to this residential property management, including managing the accounts and finances of
the real estate/residential properties, and participating in or initiating litigation with tenants, contractors and
insurance agencies. Litigation is at times considered a separate function, set aside for trained attorneys. Although
a person will be responsible for this in his/her job description, there may be an attorney working under a
property manager. Special attention is given to landlord/tenant law and most commonly evictions, non-payment,
harassment, reduction of pre-arranged services, and public nuisance are legal subjects that gain the most amount
of attention from residential property managers. Therefore, it is a necessity that a public residential property
manager be current with applicable municipal, county, state and Federal Fair Housing laws and practices. In advanced countries, residential property management, like facility management, is increasingly facilitated by
computer-aided facility management (CAFM).
However, managers of residential properties in Nigeria are faced with various kinds of problems ranging from
uncooperative attitude from workers, poor maintenance and environmental condition, security and other basic
infrastructures. Some managers in Nigeria have been able to cope with some of these challenges but the
researcher will provide an overview about the problem and prospects of residential properties management
focusing on Kaduna North Local Government Area.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
According to Bello (2008), residential property is more than a mere shelter; it includes all facilities within and
around it, embracing a bundle of services which entails both product and process. Management of residential
building embraces in all ramifications the maintenance and development process, be it economic, social,
physical). In fact, management of these properties has been subject of focus by researcher in recent times based
on the cumbersome nature of the process. The problem of poor management of residential properties is a global
phenomenon and the severity of the problem differs from one nation to another. However, the researcher is
seeking to examine the problems and prospects of management of residential property in Kaduna North Local
Government Area.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The following are the objectives of this study:
1. To examine the problems of residential properties management in Kaduna North Local Government Area.
2. To analyze the prospects of residential properties management in Kaduna North Local Government Area.
3. To identify the solution to the problems of residential properties management in Kaduna North Local
Government Area.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
1. What are the problems of residential properties management in Kaduna North Local Government Area?
2. What are the prospects of residential properties management in Kaduna North Local Government Area?
3. What is the solution to the problems of residential properties management in Kaduna North Local
Government Area?
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
The following are the significance of this study:
1. The outcome of this study will educate the general public on the problems and prospects of managing
residential properties in Nigeria emphasizing on its proper management and some other management
challenges which will form a guide for estate managers in decision making.
2. This research will also serve as a resource base to other scholars and researchers interested in carrying out
further research in this field subsequently, if applied will go to an extent to provide new explanation to the
topic.
1.7 SCOPE/LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
The scope of this study on the problems and prospects of residential properties management in Kaduna North
Local Government Area will cover all the basic problems faced by managers in effective maintenance of both
the infrastructure and finances generated on residential property.
LIMITATION OF STUDY
Financial constraint- Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the
relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and
interview).
Time constraint- The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This
consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.
1.8 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Management: the process of dealing with or controlling things or people.
Residential: designed for people to live in.
Property: a thing or things belonging to someone; possessions collectively.
REFERENCES
Bello, N. A. (2008): The Economics of Land and Housing. (Revised Edition). Abeokuta: DENAB Publication.
Ebie, S. P. O. F. (2012): The Imperative of Social Housing in the South-South Region of Nigeria. The Estate
Surveyor and Valuer. Vol.37(1). July-December 2012.
Ismail, I. (1996) “The Operational Property Management Process in Large Non-property Organization in
Malaysia” unpublished Ph. N. Thesis, University of Reading.
Kyle, R.C. and Baird, F.M. (1995) “Property Management” Real Estate Education Company, Chicago, II.
Li, L.H. (1997) “Property Management in China: Opportunities and Problems” Property Management. Vol. 15,
No. 1. p. 6 – 11. MCB University Press ISSN 0263 – 7472.
Njoku, J. (2006): “Why ‘Cash and Carry’ Housing Transaction Persist’. Retrieved on 29/4/2009 from
.
Singh, G. (1994) “Re-engineering property management: Sustaining Asset Value through Effective Property
Management” Conference of Property Maintenance and Management in the 90’s 30 – 31 May, Kuala Lumpur,
Malaysia.
Singh, G. (1996) “Property Management in Malaysia” Federal Publications, Malaysia, p. 4.
Wikipedia (2015): www.wikipedia.com
Wong, K.S. (1999) Property Management in Private Practice, Unpublished Lecture Notes, Kurus Pengunesan
Hartanah dan Facilities 20 – 23, September, INSPEN

PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS OF RESIDENTIAL PROPERTIES MANAGEMENT IN NIGERIA; A CASE STUDY OF KADUNA NORTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA