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Tag: Rent Control

  • Housing minister announces digitalization of Rent Control Department

    Housing minister announces digitalization of Rent Control Department

    Minister of Works and Housing, Francis Asenso-Boakye, has revealed plans for the Rent Control Department to undergo digitalization, encompassing all its operations, including client interactions for complaints and payment services.

    According to Asenso-Boakye, the forthcoming system will facilitate the remote conduct of activities for tenants, landlords, and the Department alike.

    “The Rent Control Department has its own portal to receive complaints from the two sides, both tenants and landlords instead of the usual paper work,” he noted.


    During his inspection of the system’s progress in Accra on Tuesday, Asenso-Boakye emphasised the significance of rental housing in Ghana’s housing services. According to data from the Ghana Statistical Service, rental accommodation constitutes 35% of urban housing in the country, underscoring its importance.

    Asenso-Boakye highlighted that the government is currently reviewing the Rent Act, which is pending before Parliament, to address the evolving dynamics of the rental market.

    He emphasised the importance of rental control as another crucial aspect of public service provision.

    “We, therefore, want to digitise rent control to reduce human interactions. I have seen many people here who are in queues over rental issues.

    “But with the digitization, they do not need to come here. They will just have to apply online,” he said.

    Asenso-Boakye explained that, in addition to boosting service delivery, the development would aid in the fight against corruption.

    “It will curb corruption because one will not need to come here and for instance, pay an officer to jump a queue to be served,” he added.


    Asenso-Boakye announced that the portal is scheduled to go live in March 2024 following pilot testing, with full support from his ministry.

    A spokesperson from the technical team mentioned that while the office would be dedicated to other essential tasks, the technology would enable users to list properties, market them, and establish connections between landlords and potential tenants.

    “The system is a very user-friendly one and those that have tried it have attested to that,” the representative said.

  • Rent Act prohibits barter trade or payment in kind for rental fees –  Rent Control department 

    Rent Act prohibits barter trade or payment in kind for rental fees –  Rent Control department 

    The Rent Control Department has reiterated that, according to Section 31 of the Rent Act (Act 220), only cash payment is acceptable for rent, and no other form of trade or payment in kind is permissible.

    The clarification came from Emmanuel Kporsu, the Public Relations Officer of the Rent Control Department, during an interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5 FM.

    Mr Kporsu emphasized that the law explicitly prohibits any form of barter trade between tenants and landlords, and this provision is specifically outlined in the Rent Law.

    He stated, “The Rent Law is emphatic and states that we cannot use any other thing in place of money to pay your rent. So to extend this explanation, you cannot engage in barter trade with your landlord.”

    Furthermore, Kporsu emphasized that tenants are not allowed to offer any other form of payment, including goods or services, as substitutes for cash rent payments. He specifically highlighted that trading sex for rent payment is illegal and constitutes a violation of the law.

    “It is unlawful. Apart from money, you cannot use anything else to pay your rent. So you cannot pay in kind or use any property as barter but can only pay in cash,” Kporsu reiterated.

    However, Kporsu also advised tenants facing financial difficulties to negotiate payment terms with their landlords rather than resorting to alternative forms of payment. He cited Section 17 of the Rent Act, which allows for negotiation and agreement on payment periods in such situations.

    “If you do not have money, negotiate with your landlord and agree on a period during which you can pay the rent,” he advised. “It is rent, and you can only pay your rent with cash and not in kind, sex, or any other process.”

    The clarification from the Rent Control Department serves to remind both tenants and landlords of their obligations and rights under the Rent Act, ensuring adherence to legal provisions governing rent payment and tenancy agreements.

  • Angry John Dumelo fumes at “killer rent” advances in Accra

    Angry John Dumelo fumes at “killer rent” advances in Accra

    Ghanaian actor and musician John Dumelo expressed concern about the exorbitant cost of rent in Ghana, which is causing hardships for individuals with limited financial means.

    According to him, the substantial rent charges imposed by landlords are challenging, not to mention the demand for a two-year advance payment, putting many people in distress regarding their housing situation.

    He emphasised that it is crucial for authorities responsible for rent regulations in Ghana to implement measures to address the high rental costs and the increasingly common practice of demanding a two-year advance payment.

    “2-3 years Rent in advance is ‘killing’ a lot of Ghanaians… #rentinGhana,” John Dumelo wrote on his X page.

    When he asked his followers to share stories about their rent predicament in the country, one individual wrote, “ Young graduate gets a job in Accra and moves here… Where is he/she going to gather all that money to pay rent? Accra rent for 2 years in advance ranges from 3600 – 99999000000 GHC, depending on the area.”

    John Dumelo is the parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency.

    He aims to challenge the incumbent, Lydia Alhassan, in the upcoming general elections with the goal of representing the constituency, following his initial unsuccessful bid.

  • Wake up Rent Control, your inaction is suffocating us – Netizen fumes over overpriced rental spaces

    Wake up Rent Control, your inaction is suffocating us – Netizen fumes over overpriced rental spaces

    An aggrieved citizen has lashed out at the Rent Control Department for failing to check the surging cost of rental spaces in the country, particularly in the country’s capital.

    In a video shared by X user, @SecureNation, an adult male bemoaned the amount of money one has to spend for shelter. According to the young bloke, a single room is going for GHC800 while a chamber and hall residence is being rented for GHC1,700 at Pantang.

    He noted that this unfortunate incident is currently happening due to the ineffectiveness of the Rent Control Department mandated to co-operatively work with landlords and tenants to promote optimum peaceful co-existence through education and reconciliation while also providing on rent matters in compliance with the Rent Act 220.

    “Is there no elder in this country? A chamber and hall at Pantang cost GHC1,700.

    “If you want a 2-bedroom house in Accra, you must have GH2,500 or GH3,000 plus. For what reasons. How much does the ordinary Ghana earn at the end of the month? A single room is now going for GHC800, GHC1,000. If you will bath outside, it’s GHC500.

    “And nobody is talking about it. Rent Control, what are you doing? You are suffocating us. Wake up. It is getting out of hand. Nobody, the government is not talking about it,” he lamented.

    The issue of the high cost of rental spaces in Accra is not new news, and much has not been done by the government and other relevant authorities to finally address the matter.

  • Rent Control urges tenants to report landlords who fail to pay utility bills

    Rent Control urges tenants to report landlords who fail to pay utility bills

    The Public Relations Officer for Rent Control Ghana, Emmanuel Kporsu, has given tenants advice on how to deal with landlords or landladies who won’t pay their rent or utilities.

    Because they own the property and impose their expenses on the tenants, some home owners in Ghana have traditionally refused to pay their share of the light, water, and other bills.

    The prevalence of this issue in the nation is on the rise, and Emmanuel Kporsu has advised tenants who are experiencing it to report it to the Rent Control Department.

    “If you’re in this situation and you haven’t been able to resolve it with your landlord, you need to file a report with Rent Control. We will then invite the landlord to come and explain their actions. ”

    Every person who uses water and electricity in their home needs to pay for it. The owner of the house cannot pay these bills because the house does not create water or electricity, but uses them instead.

    Once you own a house, you are not allowed by law to make the tenants pay your bills. The law says that tenants should be shown the bill so they can see how much they need to pay.

  • Charging tenants 10% commission post-renting is criminal – Rent Control

    Charging tenants 10% commission post-renting is criminal – Rent Control

    The Rent Control Department has reaffirmed that charging tenants a 10% commission for agent-assisted housing searches is in violation of the Rent Law.

    While the department acknowledges the legitimacy of using agents, it categorically declares the 10% fee they collect from tenants as unlawful.

    During an interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm, the department emphasized that tenants are not responsible for remitting such commissions to agents.

    Emmanuel Kporsu, the Department’s Public Relations Officer, underscored the illegality of agents receiving 10% of a tenant’s rent in exchange for helping them secure accommodation.

    “The law recognises that when an agent works and searches for a room for someone, the landlord is responsible for paying the agent.” Because the accommodation rented is not for you as an agent, you have no authority to charge 10%. Because the landlord requested that you bring someone to rent the room, the landlord is liable for paying you.

    The landlord could have advertised so that those interested in renting the room would come. However, to save money, the landlord chooses to hire an agent. The landlord will offer you 5% after someone rents the room.

    He went on to say that if the person is paying monthly, the landlord is only obligated to pay 5% of that amount for one year, not two.

    The agent has no right to go back to the landlord and demand payment after a year. To emphasise this point, the commission will be 5% rather than 10%. Those that charge 10% and expect tenants to pay are in violation of the Rent Law. The landlord will pay you 5% of the tenant’s rent. As a result, an agent has no legal basis to charge both tenants and landlords 10%. It is prohibited and punished under the law.”

  • Landlords have no right to evict tenants until rent is due – Rent Control PRO

    Landlords have no right to evict tenants until rent is due – Rent Control PRO

    The Public Relations Officer at the Rent Control Department, Emmanuel Hovey Kporsu, has said that no landlord has the right to evict a tenant within the period that an existing tenancy agreement is active.

    He explained that it has been embarking on a sensitisation program to ensure that both landlords and their tenants are treated fairly.

    He added that this assessment program is also to bring harmony into homes, ensuring that landlords do not short-change their tenants.

    “For newly-built premises, and then premises that are having disputes, so, we built these assessments for buildings that there are disputes in. Because, the landlords are demanding so much from the tenants, and if the tenant does not understand, and because he knows this provision in the act, comes to access it so that a realistic determination can be made,” he said.

    Speaking to Daniel Oduro on The Lowdown on GhanaWeb TV, Emmanuel Hovey Kporsu further stated that there is an existing right that many tenants do not know, and for which reason, do not explore.

    He stated that whatever the case is, it becomes illegal for any landlord to evict a tenant during a period that there is an existing tenancy between them.

    “There is this right of tenants that we’re not exploring. If you report a landlord for such an issue, the landlord has no right to evict you or come out with excuses like he is going to renovate the place. Until a tenancy expires, the law says that if you don’t contravene any of the provisions in the act, the landlord has no right to evict you,” he explained.

    He also stated that it is illegal for a landlord to even decide to refund a tenant’s money within an existing tenancy, unless that tenant has breached provision of the agreement.

    “So, this cannot be a basis for a landlord to evict you. Of course, I understand that after your tenancy, he can tell you that, no, I don’t want to renew again, but within your tenancy, the landlord cannot say that I want to refund your money for you because you’ve gone to report him on this assessment issue,” he added.

    Emmanuel Hovey Kporsu was on The Lowdown with Frederick Opoku, the Secretary-General of the National Tenant Union of Ghana, as they discussed the topic, “The daunting challenges of rent in Ghana.”

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Rent Control has only 4 vehicles across 58 offices nationwide – PRO

    Rent Control has only 4 vehicles across 58 offices nationwide – PRO

    Ghana’s rent control body has disclosed that it has only four vehicles in its 58 offices across the country.

    The Public Relations Officer of the Rent Control Department of Ghana, Emmanuel Hovey Kporsu, has said that across the country, there are only 4 vehicles dedicated to the Rent Control Department of Ghana.

    He said that, while the Department has attracted some state interests in the last few years, it still has a long way to go.

    Speaking on The Lowdown on GhanaWeb TV with Daniel Oduro, the PRO of the Rent Control Department stressed how, out of the 58 offices it has across the country, their offices can only boast of 4 vehicles in total.

    “For the past three years when we started coming out, you see that the government interest has come onto the Department, that’s how come this National Rental Assistance Scheme came to effect, and this sensitisation issue I’m talking about is also in place; the assessment is ongoing.

    “So, very soon, the system will be taken care of, but the issue about vehicles is still pending because we complained to our vice president… we have 4 in the entire country out of the 58 offices that we have nationwide,” he explained.

    Emmanuel Hovey Kporsu was on The Lowdown with Frederick Opoku, the Secretary-General of the National Tenant Union of Ghana, as they discussed the topic, “The daunting challenges of rent in Ghana.”

    Source: Ghanaweb

  • Tenants who report landlords cannot be evicted – Rent Control

    Tenants who report landlords cannot be evicted – Rent Control

    According to the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Rent Control Department (RCD), Emmanuel Hovey Kporsu,, the Rent Act of 1963, Act 220 section 5, prohibits landlords from forcibly evicting tenants who report them for wrongdoings.

    He clarified that it is illegal for landlords or landladies to evict their tenants who complain about them to the Rent Control Department due to miscommunication, particularly if the tenant has not broken any of the terms contained in the lease agreement.

    The PRO said that landlords who take advantage of renters and evict them for such reasons will be made to pay for their actions.

    http://backend.theindependentghana.com/investigate-your-tenants-before-accepting-them-into-your-houses-rent-control-to-landlords/

    “So, there is this right of tenant that we’re not exploring. If you report a landlord for such an issue, the landlord has no right to evict you or come out with an excuse that my son is coming or I want to renovate the place.

    “Until your tenancy expires, the law says that if you’ve not contravened any of the provisions in the Act, the landlord has no right to evict you.

    “So, this cannot be a basis on which your landlord can stand to evict you. Of course, I understand after your tenancy he can tell you that I don’t want to renew for you again but within your tenancy, the landlord cannot say that I want to refund your money for you because you’ve gone to report me on this assessment issues so I’m evicting you.

    “You have the right to stay there for the period of the tenancy that you’ve signed,” he said.

    He noted that it has become difficult for the department to do its regular duties because of ineffective logistics, as sometimes they are forced to rely on clients for transportation.

    He added that, out of the 58 offices of the RCD across the country, they can only boast of 4 cars nationwide.

    He urged the government to assist the department by providing all the working resources and logistics they require in order to do their job efficiently.

  • Landlords have no right to forcefully evict tenants after rent expiration – Rent Control PRO

    Landlords have no right to forcefully evict tenants after rent expiration – Rent Control PRO

    Head of the Rent Control Department, Emmanuel Hovey Kporsu says landlords are not legally empowered to evict tenants that default on their rent.

    Mr. Kporsu said it is wrong to break into the premises of tenants after the expiration of their rent in an attempt to eject them.

    He explained that: “the issue with rent in Ghana is that you cannot forcefully eject somebody from your premises after the contract has ended. The fact that the contract has expired and the tenant has not given you the keys to enter the place, you cannot enter the premises.”

    Explaining the regulations surrounding the tenancy agreement in Ghana to Umaru Sanda Amadu on Face to Face on Citi TV, Mr. Kporsu said, “probably your tenancy has expired, and you’ve locked the premises, and then you ran away with the keys, the landlord cannot forcefully enter the premises because if he does and the tenant comes back and says he has lost a pot of flowers, the landlord is obliged to pay.”

    He advised landlords to report any pertinent issues involving evictions to the Rent Control Department for amicable resolution which requires that, “you come and report to the Rent Control Department, and we make you swear an affidavit to indicate that the place belongs to you, and we give you a notice to be posted in front of the door for a period of two weeks and if the tenant does not appear, we go before a magistrate to seek an order to force open the premises.”

    Mr. Kporsu also explained what happens after an entry order is granted by a magistrate.

    “When we get the order to forcefully enter the room from the magistrate, we force open the premise and lease any item we see there and give it to the landlord for save keeping for a period of two weeks, and we go back to the magistrate to either auction the things or donate them after the tenant doesn’t appear.”

    Residential renting in Ghana has been on an increasing trend for the past two decades. This is a result of the high demand for affordable rental properties. The problem is compounded by an uncompromising demand of landlords to collect a year or two years of prepaid rent from potential tenants.

    Research has shown that only 5% of Ghana’s population can acquire their own homes without any form of assistance, with 60% requiring support that is facilitated by the state to access housing whilst 35% will require additional direct support before they can have access to housing.

    The assistance required by the households falling into the 60% band comes in the form of supportive regulations and competitively priced mortgages whereas the lower 35% band needs subsidies in addition.

  • It’s a crime for agents to charge more than 5% of tenants’ rent – Rent Control

    The Rent Control Department has noted that it is an offence for rental agents to charge more than 5% of the total amount of money accommodation seekers pay to their landlords as rent.

    According to the Ashanti Regional Manager of the Rent Control Department, Asare Osei Pensan, there’s nothing wrong with people who pose as property agents because the law recognizes them.

    He however said these agents are to act professionally as required by law.

    Speaking on Joy FM’s Luv In The Morning show, Mr Pensan stated that, “It is an offence for a broker to charge a certain amount as proceeds for a service rendered. It is an offence to charge more than 5% of an annual recoverable rent. This means the law recognizes agencies or agents. There is nothing wrong when someone acts as an agent. But an agent has to act professionally as the law demands.”

    “I have had a similar encounter which shocked me. Someone rented a place priced at ¢15,000. The agent was taking ¢1,500 from the tenant. The landlord was not even aware. The landlord mentioned that he did not give out any property to the agent. It was a wonder they got to know those premises were being rented out,” he added.

    Mr Pensan entreated Ghanaians looking for accommodation to visit the Rent Control Department for help.

    He indicated that the department will assess the property and give out the rental price.

    The Ashanti Regional Manager of the Rent Control Department advised landlords to desist from advertising their properties for rent.

    He said landlords need to first secure an assessment certificate from the Rent Control Department before putting up their properties on display.

    Source: www.ghanaweb.com

  • It’s illegal for agents to charge potential tenants 10% out of rent paid to landlords – Rent Control

    The Rent Control Department has said although the Rent Act recognizes the activities of agents, it is unlawful for them to charge ten percent of the amount rent paid by tenants after assisting them to rent.

    Public Relations Officer for the Department Mr. Emmanuel H. Kporsu speaking on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5Fm that it is the responsibility of landlords and landladies to pay five percent from the payment made by the tenant to the agent.

    This he explained has been captured in Act 220.

    Mr. Kporsu told host Kwabena Agyapong that “the Rent Act recognises rent agents and says if as an agent you help a tenant to acquire a room or an apartment and pays the owner of the facility, the landlord you pay 5% of the rent paid by the tenant. And so, an agent has no legal basis to charge tenants 10% and also charge landlords 10%. It is illegal and punishable by law.”

    He said when the department gets hold of such information, they will investigate and deal with the offenders.

    He said it is usually the landlords who engage the services of agents when renting out hence it is their responsibility to pay 5% from the rent paid and not outside the rent.

    Source: rainbowradioonline.com