Landlords and tenants battle over utility bills

Disagreement over the payment of utility bills has become one of the major causes of conflict between landlords and tenants in Kumasi and other parts of the Ashanti Region.

Mr. Michael Cobbina, Regional Director of the Rent Control Department, told the GNA that his office is inundated with complaints about the refusal of some landlords to share in the payment of electricity and water bills.

This tops the list of 7,770 cases received by the department within the last two years, he said.

He said the problem is more pronounced in Anloga, Aboabo and Moshie-Zongo and that the position taken by the landlords is completely untenable and criminal.

Mr. Cobbina said to help tackle the unfortunate development, the department had stepped up its public education to assist owners of houses and tenants to have better understanding of the rent law.

He appealed to the Electricity Company of Ghana to provide more pre-paid electricity meters to bring down the confusion over bills payment, particularly among dwellers in compound houses.**