Anthony, a researcher living in the United Kingdom, has accused Middlechase Property Limited of refusing to refund his money after the real estate firm failed to release the property he paid for.

The researcher, who wishes to reveal only his first name, told FIJ he paid N16.5 million in instalments between March 31 and September 14, 2022, for a one-bedroom apartment within Fairfield Apartments in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos, for his mother but could not gift her until her passing in February 2023.

He said Middlechase Property assured him at the point of payment that the apartment would be completed by December 2022. The apartment is still far from completion in August 2023.

Anthony also accused Middlechase of obtaining money from other individuals in similar fashion and failing to release the property they paid for while making excuses.

“It seems like the company is unwilling to give people their houses. From the outside the houses seem to be almost ready, but this not the situation,” Anthony told FIJ.

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The researcher said he was deceived into believing Middlechase Property Ltd was credible because he found three buildings owned by the firm when he was researching about the company.

He also told FIJ the real estate firm told him the building which caught his fancy was no longer available after he made a first deposit of N5 million.

“They showed me a flat via a video which they told me was available. Immediately after I made an initial payment of N5 million, Middlechase Property told me the flat was gone and there would be a new development which would start in a month,” he said.

“They showed me the pictures of the new site. According to what they claimed their engineer said, the building would be ready before December. But up till now, nothing has happened and this is a new year.

“I asked them to refund my money because the foundation of the building they showed me last year is still as it was. People have been complaining. They are just collecting money and they don’t have any intention of letting anyone live in the property.”

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In March, FIJ reached out to the company to know why they had not refunded Anthony since he requested a refund. The company said that it would do so and the payment would be made in six tranches which was to start on June 30 and end in December 2023.

In an email sent to Anthony on March 16, Middlechase’s customer service said that the refund policy of the company was such that refund was subject to a 30 percent deduction of the sum paid.

“However, due to the peculiarity of this transaction refund will commence from 4 months after the initial request is made. Hence, the complete payment of N11,550, 000 will be repaid in 6 monthly installments,” the email reads in part.

Although Anthony disagreed with the 30 percent deduction because he fully paid for the flat, he expected the refund. It never came.

“At the end of June, I did not receive my refund. July and August, the same thing happened. I am tired of the runaround, I need my money back,” he said.

When FIJ contacted Middlechase for comments on the matter, the respondent said Anthony’s stance on a refund or whether he was open for another option of settlement was not exactly clear. However, Anthony denied this.

FIJ also asked why the building Anthony paid for was not ready almost a year after payment, but the respondent said Anthony agreed he would get the keys to his flat in December. Anthony said this claim was wide of the mark.

The Middlechase respondent also said that Anthony’s wife visited their office in Lagos to ask for other plans instead of a refund but Anthony said this was untrue because she only went for an inspection.