It is against the laws of Ghana for landlords and landladies to increase rent charges without seeking approval from the Rent Control Department which is mandated to regulate renting and housing issues in the country.
According to the Chief Rent Control Officer at the Rent Control Department, Twum Ampofo, landlords and landladies are required under the Rent Act to seek approval from the Rent Department before putting out their housing facilities for rent or increasing rent charges.
“If you don’t have approval from rent control, you can’t charge rent increases. That is according to section 19 of the Rent Act, 1963 Act 220,” he stated on JoyNews TV’s Newsfile.
Mr. Twum Ampofo explained that the law mandates owners of premises to apply to the Department for assessments of their premises and subsequent certification before they can rent out the said premises.
And if they intend to increase the rent charges as a result of refurbishment made to the facilities or changes in economic factors, he added, they must inform the tenants of the premises in writing and proceed to apply to the Department for reassessment and approval before they can begin to charge the new rent rate.
“Until the place has been assessed, you don’t have the right to increase rent. And any time you make an improvement to your premises, you come for reassessment. The reassessment is opened for two years. You have the option to wait until the end of the two years before you come for reassessment. But within the period if you turn your painted room into a tiled room and you want to come for reassessment, the reassessment is opened to you within the period,” the Chief Rent Control Officer explained.
Mr. Twum Ampofo also revealed that tenancy agreements, per the law, are supposed to be registered with the Rent Control Department and must not infringe on the fundamental human rights of the tenants.
He urged landlords and landladies to avail their properties to the Department for assessment and certification as well as approval of rent charges as it is in their interest.
