President John Dramani Mahama has urged tenants to report landlords who demand excessive rent advances, as part of efforts to strengthen enforcement of housing laws and address widespread exploitation in the rental market. Speaking at a meeting with organised labour at the Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, March 17, he highlighted the growing burden of accommodation costs on household incomes and the challenge of accessing decent housing.
“Housing has become a major concern, consuming a significant share of family earnings,” he noted. “We must initiate a national housing dialogue and determine how government, labour, and the private sector can collaborate to develop a social housing policy. This will ensure workers have access to affordable homes—whether through mortgages or rental options at fair rates.”
President Mahama linked the persistent demand for high rent advances to Ghana’s housing deficit, noting that the imbalance between supply and demand had created room for exploitation by some property owners.
“The reason why the private house owners are taking advantage is because of the deficit in housing. We have the rent court, and we say do not take more than six months of rent advance, but the one who is renting and the house owner are both not prepared to go to the rent court,” he added. He urged tenants to take advantage of existing legal mechanisms by reporting offending landlords, assuring that sanctions would be applied where necessary.
“You can take the matter to the rent court, and we will ensure that the landlord is held accountable,” he stressed. His remarks come amid growing public concern over the widespread practice of landlords demanding rent advances of up to two years, in clear violation of legal limits.
The practice has been widely condemned as exploitative, creating a significant barrier to affordable housing for low- and middle-income households. President Mahama underscored the need for a broader national dialogue on housing to tackle structural challenges in the sector, including the creation of a comprehensive social housing policy that balances the interests of tenants, landlords, and the state.
Source: GraphicOnline
