Acting Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku has stated that landlords and property owners cannot arbitrarily determine rental prices without proper assessment, insisting that Ghana’s rent laws require all rental properties to undergo official evaluation.
Speaking on a radio programme, Mr Opoku criticised what he described as increasing lawlessness within Ghana’s rental market, where some landlords allegedly impose rent charges without regulatory oversight or adherence to legal assessment procedures.
According to him, the law clearly mandates that rental values be assessed to ensure fairness, transparency and compliance within the housing sector.
“The law says you assess. We will assess you,” he stressed.
Mr Opoku argued that although property owners and real estate investors are entitled to make returns on their investments, that right does not override the legal framework governing rent charges in Ghana.
He maintained that landlords cannot independently calculate and impose rental prices without going through the required assessment process.
His comments come amid growing public frustration over rising rent costs in major urban centres, particularly in Accra and Kumasi, where tenants have repeatedly complained about high rental charges and demands for extended advance payments.
The Acting Rent Commissioner disclosed that authorities are preparing to review current rent assessment mechanisms as part of wider efforts to strengthen enforcement under Ghana’s rent regulations.
According to him, landlords will be permitted to involve professional experts during the assessment process to ensure transparency and fairness for all parties involved.
Mr Opoku further hinted that sections of the existing Rent Act could be amended before the end of the year to address enforcement gaps and improve regulatory compliance across the housing sector.
The proposed reforms are expected to form part of broader efforts to improve accountability within Ghana’s rental market and protect both tenants and property owners under a clearer legal framework.
