The Rent Control Department will from August 17, 2026, tighten enforcement of Ghana’s rent laws, requiring landlords and property owners seeking its services to provide evidence of compliance with mandatory rent-card requirements.
Landlords have also been given until November 30, 2026, to regularise the registration of their tenancy agreements and property records, as the Department steps up efforts to enforce existing rental regulations across the country.
Hostel operators will also face increased compliance requirements from the 2026/2027 academic year where their accommodation arrangements fall within Ghana’s rent-control laws.
In a statement issued on Monday, August 10, Acting Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku said the measures are aimed at strengthening transparency, accountability and tenant protection in Ghana’s rental sector.
The Department stressed that the issuance of rent cards is not a new policy but an existing statutory requirement that landlords are legally obligated to comply with.
Under Section 20(1) of the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220), landlords of premises rented on a monthly or shorter tenancy are required to issue tenants with a rent card within seven days of the commencement of the tenancy.
The card must contain key information, including the names and addresses of the landlord and tenant as well as the amount of rent payable.
The Rent Control Law, 1986 (PNDCL 138), also requires landlords of residential accommodation covered by the law to issue rent cards and provide the relevant Rent Control Department office with details of tenants and rents paid.
Beginning August 17, landlords seeking applicable administrative services from the Department will be required to show evidence that they have fulfilled these obligations.
“Where a landlord is unable to provide satisfactory evidence of the issuance and maintenance of the required rent card, the Department may decline to process or provide the relevant administrative service until the statutory obligation has been regularised,” the Department warned.
Landlords Given November 30 Deadline
The Department has also reminded property owners of their legal obligation to register tenancy and lease agreements.
Section 4 of PNDCL 138 requires landlords of residential accommodation to register every lease or tenancy agreement with the Rent Control Department within 14 days of entering into the agreement.
The law further restricts landlords from demanding or receiving rent for affected accommodation without complying with the registration requirement.
Consequently, landlords and property owners have been directed to regularise their tenancy registrations and property records by November 30, 2026.
Those who fail to meet the deadline could have applications for administrative services deferred or declined until the required documentation has been submitted and verified.
Hostel Operators Face Compliance Checks
The Department has also turned its attention to student accommodation, warning that hostel operators are not automatically exempt from Ghana’s rent-control framework simply because they provide accommodation to students.
From the 2026/2027 academic year, hostel operators whose arrangements fall within the applicable rent laws will be required to issue prescribed rent cards to student tenants and comply with relevant registration requirements.
They will also be expected to maintain proper records covering tenants, accommodation occupied, rent charged, tenancy periods and other information required by law.
The Department said it would engage tertiary institutions, student representative bodies, hostel associations, local authorities and relevant regulators to facilitate implementation.
Rent Control Warns of Legal Consequences
The Rent Control Department warned that failure to comply with rent-card and tenancy-registration requirements is not merely an administrative matter but could constitute an offence under PNDCL 138.
It further noted that complaints or actions brought against tenants by landlords may not be heard by the Department unless it is satisfied that the landlord has fulfilled the relevant statutory obligations.
The Department said it would progressively intensify monitoring, inspections, registration and compliance exercises nationwide.
It said enforcement would initially prioritise education and provide landlords and hostel operators with a reasonable opportunity to regularise their affairs before tougher action is taken against persistent or deliberate violations.
“The Department will adopt an education-first but enforcement-backed approach, giving landlords and hostel operators reasonable opportunity to regularise their affairs while taking appropriate action against persistent or deliberate violations of the law,” it said.
The Department maintained that proper documentation of rental arrangements would strengthen accountability, improve dispute resolution, protect tenants and promote responsible property management across Ghana.
