Report landlords charging 2 years rent advance – Mahama tells Ghanaian tenants

President John Dramani Mahama has urged tenants to report landlords who demand rent advances beyond what the law allows, calling for stronger enforcement measures to prevent exploitation within the housing sector.

During a meeting with Organised Labour at Jubilee House in Accra on Tuesday, March 17, he highlighted the increasing cost of housing as a major challenge for many households, noting that it is becoming harder for people to afford decent accommodation.

He emphasized the need for a national conversation on housing, bringing together government, the private sector, and labour groups to develop a social housing policy. According to him, such a policy would help ensure that workers can either purchase homes through mortgages or rent them at reasonable prices.

The President explained that the growing demand for excessive rent advances is largely due to the country’s housing shortage. He pointed out that some landlords are taking advantage of the situation by charging tenants illegally.

Although the law limits rent advances to six months and provides for a rent court to handle disputes, he noted that both tenants and landlords are often reluctant to use this system.

He therefore encouraged tenants to take action by reporting such violations to the rent court, assuring them that landlords who break the law will be held responsible.

His comments come at a time when many people have raised concerns about landlords demanding up to two years’ rent in advance, a practice widely seen as both illegal and unfair.