The Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, has declared that Rent Control is fully active and prepared to enforce the law against hostel operators and landlords who attempt to increase fees without due process.
Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, he said the institution is no longer passive but taking proactive steps to regulate rent-related practices, especially in the student accommodation sector.
According to him, recent developments show that some hostel operators are already planning or implementing fee increments without proper justification, a situation he described as unacceptable.
“There are institutions that are clothed with the authority to ensure that the right things are done. Today we are telling them that Rent Control is not in slumber. Rent Control is active. Rent Control is proactive,” he said.
He stressed that the law provides clear procedures that must be followed before any rent adjustments can be made, warning that enforcement will be strict.
“The law has been clearly laid out. Let us engage before anyone goes ahead,” he noted.
Mr. Opoku revealed that intelligence available to the Rent Control office indicates that some hostels had already begun increasing fees even before official engagement processes were completed.
He announced plans to roll out a nationwide student reporting platform on Monday to track and document unfair rent practices, in collaboration with student leadership and stakeholders across the country.
“On Monday, we are going to launch a platform for students across the country to report,” he said. “We will work with SRC presidents, tenant associations and all stakeholders. We will give them backing.”
He warned that any landlord or hostel operator who defies regulatory directives will face firm action.
“If anyone defies this, trust me, they will face two things: either they will be closed down or they will not be allowed to operate,” he stated.
According to him, enforcement will not be limited to warnings but will include legal action where necessary.
“We have to go to court and the court will do what it must do. They are working under the law,” he explained.
Mr. Opoku dismissed claims from some property owners that regulatory enforcement is unfair, describing such arguments as unconvincing.
“I’m not here to even respond to what they say. For me, it is laughable,” he said. “The regulator has spoken.”
He further emphasized that rent increases must be backed by proper assessment and certification, adding that landlords are required to justify any adjustments.
“They must act within the confines of the law, they must be issued with a certificate of assessment, and without that, they cannot increase rent,” he added.
Mr. Opoku reiterated that Rent Control is committed to ensuring fairness in the housing and hostel sector, stressing that the era of arbitrary rent increases must end.
“The law must work. Simpliciter,” he concluded.
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