Buea: Stranded Tenants Accuse Landlord of Unjust Demolition

Tenants of Cite Tenjo in Buea, South West, say they have been rendered homeless by their landlord, Mr Tenjo, and his wife, Mrs Tenjo Queenaline.

Tenjo Queenaline, who manages the hostel for her husband who lives in Germany, reportedly demolished the house without refunding tenants’ months of unexpired rents.

A tenant told MMI the demolition has rendered them homeless for the past two days.

The landlady had informed them she wanted to build a bigger house and asked everyone to leave. But their rents will only expire in January 2025 and she did not refund them.

Despite their plea for her to refund their unused rents or delay the demolition until January, the landlady removed the hostel roofing and dismantled the doors and windows.

“The roof of our house was removed yesterday, on the 30th of October 2024, and our rent is supposed to expire on January 7, 2025. But the landlord came and said that he wanted to scatter the house and build a bigger one and would give us our remaining months of rent. But we have not gotten a new place, and he has not given us anything, but he has removed the roof,” one of the tenants told MMI on phone.

“So right now, we have nowhere to go, and he is not saying anything. We are under the rain and sun,” added the tenant, who said he has been homeless for two days.

A video received by MMI shows a building with a scrapped roof and demolished windows and doors.

The video also shows property reportedly belonging to tenants inside the roofless rooms.

The tenant who spoke to MMI said they don’t have money to look for a new place and persistent rainfall in Buea for the past days is making matters worse.

They are appealing for authorities to intervene.

Housing Challenges in Buea

Finding a room in Buea has been increasingly challenging for students and thousands of internally displaced persons who are seeking refuge in the city due to the Anglophone Crisis.

The rising demand for houses has caused a spike in rents, although many new structures are being raised. 

Some landlords are now demolishing old buildings and transforming them into modern structures. 

But the innovations entail high rents for tenants, most of whom are struggling to survive.

A room, kitchen, and toilet in Buea is priced between FCFA 25,000 to FCFA 45,000 per month, depending on its physical location and aesthetic features.

A studio costs at least FCFA 50,000. Sometimes electricity and water bills are excluded from the rent.

Meanwhile, an apartment could range from FCFA 70,000 to hundreds of thousands per month.