The Rent Control Department under the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources has announced stricter enforcement of rent-card and tenancy registration requirements for landlords, property owners and hostel operators across Ghana.
The Department said the measures form part of efforts to promote transparency, accountability and orderly administration within the country’s rental sector, while strengthening protections for tenants.
According to a statement issued by Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, landlords of qualifying properties are required by law to issue rent-cards to tenants and properly maintain records of rental arrangements.
The Department said from August 17, 2026, landlords seeking services from the Rent Control Department may be required to demonstrate compliance with the statutory rent-card requirement.
Those unable to provide satisfactory evidence of compliance could have their applications or requests for administrative services deferred until the obligation is regularised, subject to applicable law and procedures.
The Department is also strengthening the registration of landlords, properties and tenancies.
It reminded landlords that applicable residential leases and tenancy agreements are required to be registered with the Rent and Housing Committee within the statutory period.
Landlords have been urged to regularise their registration and property records by November 30, 2026.
The Rent Control Department also clarified that operators of student accommodation are not automatically exempt from Ghana’s rent laws.
Beginning with the 2026/2027 academic year, hostel operators providing residential accommodation to students under tenancies covered by the applicable rent laws will be expected to issue prescribed rent-cards and comply with relevant registration and rent-control requirements.
Hostel operators will also be required to maintain records including the identities of tenants, property details, rent payable, tenancy duration and other information required by law.
The Department said it will engage tertiary institutions, student representative bodies, hostel associations, local authorities and other stakeholders to facilitate the transition to full compliance.
The Department warned that failure to comply with rent-card and registration requirements could attract legal consequences.
It stressed that the requirements are not merely administrative procedures but statutory obligations intended to provide proper documentation of rental arrangements and strengthen dispute resolution.
The Department said proper documentation would also help reduce disputes over rent, improve rent assessment and enforcement, and provide tenants and landlords with reliable evidence of their agreements.
The Rent Control Department said it would progressively intensify monitoring, inspections, registration and compliance exercises nationwide.
It described its approach as “education-first but enforcement-backed,” saying landlords and hostel operators would be given reasonable opportunities to regularise their affairs while persistent or deliberate breaches would attract appropriate action.
The Department has therefore urged landlords, property owners, estate managers and hostel operators to issue and maintain rent- cards, register applicable tenancies, keep accurate records and cooperate with authorised Rent Officers and inspectors.
It said the ultimate objective is to establish a rental sector that is fair, transparent, accountable and responsive to the interests of both landlords and tenants.
