Parliament urged to pass Rent Amendment Bill

Miss Sabina Abu, the Tema Rent Manageress, has said there is the need for a thorough education to enable members of the society understand the demands of the Rent Act.

In an interview with the GNA, Miss Abu said that there is currently a bill before parliament that seeks to amend the Rent Act, Act 220, 1963.

She said the amendment seeks to empower the rent office to send inspectors around to educate both tenants and landlords concerning their rights and responsibilities.

Miss Abu said education on rental issues are normally done when the office settles disputes between feuding factions.

She said it is on record that landlords and landladies within the Tema Metropolis and other parts of the country charge exorbitant fees to lease out their rooms and demand two to three years advance payment.

Miss Abu said unfortunately, that both tenants and property owners seem to have accepted that illegality and this makes it difficult to enforce the law adding that the act demands that tenants pay not more than six months advance to house owners.

“In as much as it prevents house owners from ejecting tenants arbitrarily, it is still not a good practice because people cannot readily come out with large sums of money to pay rents,” she said.

Miss Abu said government should stop giving two years advance to parliamentarians to rent houses as this may consciously or unconsciously encourage landlords and other property owners to continue demanding years in advance payments.

She said due to the acute housing deficit in Ghana, most house owners have resorted to maltreating their tenants knowing very well that tenants have no choice than to continue coming to them for renting.

Miss Abu said if this if this law is passed, it would empower the Rent Office to embark on a massive education to enlighten tenants so they can protect their rights by resorting to the law.

Source: GNA