Housing and rental accommodation in Cameroon

            In Cameroon as a whole, about 53% of households own their own homes and about 30% of people pay for accommodation that they rent. The rest of the population are accommodated free of charge.

          There is however a great disparity between the rural areas and towns and cities with regard to home ownership. About 98% of people who live in rural areas, houses are made from materials such as wood and stones because these are available locally. Some home owners in the forest areas build with wood while those in the rocky areas use rocks and stones. In the northern regions, people use clay and thatch. Although houses in the cities are usually made of bricks and cement, some houses may be made of clay and wood too.

Tenants who rent accommodation usually have to negotiate the rental fee with their landlord. There are many factors that determine the fee, for example, the number of rooms, the size of the rooms and the facilities. A house with an indoor toilet and water supply will cost more than one with an external latrine. There are often long negotiations before a contract is signed! Many people use the services of a real estate agency to find a property to rent.

Buying a property is usually done through a private real estate agency. These agencies advertise properties, which they then sell.

The government also provides some housing and assists people in acquiring accommodation. Government employees can usually benefit from this. For example, the Cameroon Real Estate Company (SIC) offers subsidized houses in some cities in the country.

However, as in many big cities around the world, there is not enough formal housing for everyone who wants to live in the cities. With nearly 58% of the population of Cameroon now urbanized, the problem is increasing. Yaoundé and Douala have huge informal settlements. Living conditions are not ideal as people do not have easy access to clean drinking water, electricity and sewage, and waste removal services. It may take years before this housing problem is solved.

Extract from Interaction in English, 3e

Questions

1-What are the materials used to build houses in rural areas? 1 mk

                Materials lived wood, stones

2-Where do you find houses in bricks and cement the most?  1mk

In fawns or cities

3-A tenant is somebody who owns a house, True or False?  False  (1mk)

4-What are some of the challenges faced by the cities of Yaounde and Douala?

Clack of good and clean water, removal of services lacer of electricity.  (1mk)

5-In the following sentence:   some agencies also develop properties, which they then sell.

What is the underlined word referring to?   Pronoun                                  (1mk)