The Acting Rent Commissioner of Ghana, Fredrick Opoku, has warned landlords against arbitrary rent increments, insisting that property owners must comply with laid-down legal procedures before adjusting rental prices.
According to him, many landlords continue to increase rent unjustifiably despite failing to maintain their properties over the years.
Speaking in an interview on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Mr. Opoku criticised landlords who blame rising costs of building materials for rent hikes without making improvements to their buildings.
“Some landlords have not painted their properties for years, yet they complain that the prices of paint and cement have gone up,” he stated.
“They must follow the proper procedures if they believe their properties deserve a rent increment. Order must be restored immediately,” he added.
Mr. Opoku said ignorance of the law cannot be used as an excuse, stressing that the Rent Control Department will intensify public education before strict enforcement begins.
“I want to do education, pick it session by session, the important areas they are flouting, re-echo it and bring them back to the real nature of the law before enforcement goes on,” he explained.
He disclosed that the department works with professionals to assess and value properties before rent adjustments are approved.
“We have experts that do assessment and value the properties. I am talking to the Ghana Institution of Surveyors for evaluation and assessment, so that if they want to spread their cost, it will reflect reasonable prices,” he said.
The Acting Rent Commissioner further lamented what he described as growing lawlessness within the housing sector.
“We are allowing lawlessness in this country,” he stressed.
According to him, the law does not permit landlords to increase rent arbitrarily after assessment.
“The law says after assessment you can’t increase after two years,” he explained.
Mr. Opoku, however, noted that certain exceptional circumstances, including inflation or major maintenance works, may warrant reassessment and possible review of rent charges.
“There may be some clauses or conditions, maybe inflation or if you have serious maintenance, before some time you will be assessed. If you have done more maintenance, you have to go for reapplication,” he added.
He questioned sharp rent increases within short periods, describing such practices as unfair to tenants.
“How can you increase a property from GH¢500 to GH¢2,000 within one year?” he asked.
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