Weak enforcement of rent laws driving disputes – Rent Commissioner

The Acting Rent Commissioner of Ghana, Frederick Opoku, has attributed persistent landlord-tenant disputes in the country to decades of weak enforcement of existing rent laws.

Speaking in an interview with GhanaWeb’s Etsey Atisu, Opoku said although Ghana has long-standing legal frameworks: the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220) and the Rent Control Law, 1986 (PNDC Law 138), the absence of a Rent Commissioner until recently created a major enforcement gap.

He explained that Section 2 of the Rent Act clearly mandates the appointment of a Rent Commissioner to oversee the administrative implementation of rent regulations, but this provision remained unfulfilled for over 60 years.

“That gap meant there was no central authority driving compliance, education, and enforcement, which has contributed to the confusion and disputes we see today,” he noted.

Opoku stressed that the Rent Control Department is tasked with regulating the conduct of both landlords and tenants to ensure fairness and harmony, but its effectiveness has been limited without strong leadership and enforcement mechanisms.

'Ghana has only 185 Rent Control staff across the country' – Rent Commissioner

As part of ongoing reforms, he disclosed that landlords have been directed to issue rent cards to tenants in line with Section 20 of the Rent Act and Section 5 of PNDC Law 138.

He described the rent card as a critical accountability tool that documents rent payments and any changes in tenancy terms, helping to resolve conflicts when they arise.

“Many of the disagreements between landlords and tenants stem from lack of proper documentation. The rent card will serve as evidence and bring clarity,” he said.

Frederick Opoku also stressed the legal requirement for tenancy agreements to be registered with the Rent Control Department within 14 days, a provision he said is widely ignored.

He further announced plans to introduce a standardised tenancy agreement to ensure consistency and alignment with the law across the country.

The Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, urged landlords and tenants to comply with the law, warning that stricter enforcement measures would be rolled out to restore order and accountability in the rental sector.

Watch the video below:

Ghana’s Rent Crisis: Ag Rent Commissioner details weak enforcements, rising costs



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