Examination of Users’ Housing Satisfaction Among Residents of Owerri Municipal Local Government Area (LGA), Imo State, Nigeria

This study sets out to examine user’s housing satisfaction among residents of Owerri Municipal Local Government Area of Imo State, Nigeria. Users in the context of the study refer to tenants and landlords who occupy and use the premises on daily basis. It is a well-known fact that users of residences in the study area often complain of rising rents, especially in the way and manner that landlords raise these rents without recourse to due process. The inadequate provision of basic amenities like electricity, water supply, sanitary facilities, safety measures, security apparatus and housing maintenance, leave much to be desired. The study adopted qualitative and quantitative statistical approaches. A sample size of 100 was adopted. The study found that noise pollution and lack of access to essential services were major factors affecting housing satisfaction in the study area. The study revealed that tenants tend to relocate to other accommodations when confronted with challenges of dissatisfactions. Some of this dissatisfaction comes from noise pollution, landlord or his agent’s character, poor neighbourhood character and poor access to basic needs including telecommunication network. It concluded that so many inconsistencies in housing design, construction, location, management and interactions within the neighbourhood of the house raise questions with satisfaction. It recommended that non-governmental organizations and indeed the organized private sector should work with government to provide varieties of affordable housing in the study area.