Smart Housing Contracts and Tenant Rights: Legal Implications of Digitalized Property Management Systems in the Era of Smart Cities

The advent of digital technologies in housing has transformed the traditional landlord-tenant relationship, particularly through the integration of smart contracts and digitalized property management systems within the framework of emerging smart cities. While these innovations promise efficiency, transparency, and automation, they also raise significant legal questions concerning enforceability, data protection, and tenant rights. This article aims to critically examine the legal implications of smart housing contracts and digital property management systems, with a focus on how they impact tenants’ rights and housing justice in the era of smart urban development. The objectives include identifying the legal gaps created by the automation of tenancy agreements, evaluating comparative legal frameworks in Nigeria, the UK, and the EU, and proposing reforms for ensuring tenant protection without stifling technological progress. The methodology employed is primarily doctrinal and comparative, involving the critical analysis of tenancy legislation, digital contract laws, case precedents, and a review of international regulatory trends governing smart housing. The article finds that while digitalization enhances transparency and reduces disputes, introduces risks such as unequal bargaining power, exclusion of digitally illiterate tenants, and challenges in judicial enforcement of automated agreements. This article recommends updating Nigerian tenancy laws to regulate smart contracts in housing, incorporating digital literacy provisions, mandatory human oversight, and enforceable tenant protection clauses. Policymakers should harmonize the local framework with global digital governance standards to ensure housing justice aligns with the broader smart city agenda.