Also known as: RCD
Rent Control Department — Ghana's agency responsible for regulating accommodation fees and tenant protections, currently enforcing compliance with rent laws on hostels and landlords.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
Joy Online
The Office of the Rent Commissioner and the Rent Control Department have directed all private student hostel operators across Ghana to immediately suspend any planned increases in accommodation fees for the 2026/2027 academic year, citing growing concerns over the rising cost of …
Rent Control Department freezes student hostel fee increases for 2026/2027 academic yearBusiness & Financial Times
… The government must really do something about rent inflation.” Rent Control Department under the Ministry of Works and Housing inefficiency Some traders lamented that the practice of taking five years rent advance for shops around Makola is a challenge for new entrants who want t …
Prime market rents push traders to brinkJoy Online
… Opoku explained that while hostels are registered and monitored by the Ghana Tourism Authority, the Rent Control Department is responsible for assessing and regulating pricing. …
Some landlords forcing students into prostitution through high rent – Rent CommissionerJoy Online
… He stressed that the Rent Control Department under his leadership would not tolerate what he described as “self-evictions” by landlords. …
Landlords who remove tenants’ roofs over rent disputes risk jail – Rent CommissionerJoy Online
The Commissioner of the Rent Control Department, Frederick Opoku, has questioned the rationale behind the construction of expensive housing projects, particularly student hostels, asking whether it is “by force” to build beyond the affordability of ordinary citizens. …
“Is it by force to build expensive hostels?” – Rent Commissioner questions high-cost housing projectsJoy Online
The Commissioner of the Rent Control Department, Frederick Opoku, has urged real estate developers to prioritise the use of locally sourced construction materials to make housing more affordable, particularly for students and low-income earners. …
Rent Commissioner urges developers to use local building materials to reduce rental costsJoy Online
The Commissioner of the Rent Control Department, Frederick Opoku, has expressed strong concern over the increasing practice of charging rent in United States dollars in parts of the country, describing it as unacceptable and contrary to Ghana’s legal tender regulations. …
Stop dollarisation in Ghana’s rental market – Rent Control Commissioner calls for enforcementJoy Online
The Commissioner of the Rent Control Department, Frederick Opoku, has raised concerns over what he describes as a growing culture of lawlessness in Ghana’s property and rental sector. …
Ghana’s rental sector showing signs of lawlessness – Rent Commissioner lamentsJoy Online
… Mr Opoku disclosed that the Rent Control Department is engaging the Bank of Ghana’s Financial Markets Department to help curb the increasing dollarisation within the property sector. …
“Are we in America?” — Acting Rent Commissioner questions rent pricing in dollarsJoy Online
… In a strongly worded statement released on Saturday, May 9, the group threw its full weight behind Mr Frederick Opoku and the Rent Control Department, as they move to confront a housing market they claim is rigged against the average Ghanaian student. …
Economic Fighters League slams ₵24k hostel fees at University of GhanaThe Acting Rent Commissioner has warned private hostel operators that Ghana Tourism Authority licences do not exempt them from rent regulation. He stated that the Rent Control Department has jurisdiction to assess all rents in the country, including hostel facilities, and urged operators to apply for rent assessment rather than unilaterally setting charges.
19 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Acting Rent Commissioner has warned private hostel operators that Ghana Tourism Authority licences do not exempt them from rent regulation. He stated that the Rent Control Department has jurisdiction to assess all rents in the country, including hostel facilities, and urged operators to apply for rent assessment rather than unilaterally setting charges.
19 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Rent Control Department has received about 100 applications from students over private hostel charges and plans to assess the fees within two to three months before schools reopen. The Acting Rent Commissioner said rent control officers across the country will determine applicable charges under the law, rejecting hostel operators' arguments that fees reflect their investments and market conditions.
19 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, says the Rent Control Department has jurisdiction over private buildings and premises across Ghana under Section 1 of the Rent Control Act 1963, except state-owned facilities. He clarified that hostel operators are not exempt from rent control regulations.
19 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Acting Rent Control Commissioner and the Chairman of the Hostel Owners Association disagreed publicly on Joy FM over how to regulate private hostels, with the Chairman accusing the Department of using the wrong approach and claiming the Commissioner declined an invitation to Kumasi, citing unwillingness to use state funds for the trip.
19 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Chairman of the Hostel Owners Association says private hostel operators are willing to have their charges assessed but object to the procedure used by the Rent Control Department's Acting Commissioner. He claims the Acting Rent Commissioner declined an invitation to meet with hostel owners in Kumasi unless his travel expenses were covered, and says this failure to engage stakeholders has contributed to the dispute.
19 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Hostel Owners Association chairman has accused the Acting Rent Commissioner of making public allegations against operators without prior engagement, saying regulators should discuss concerns with stakeholders before making public statements about their operations.
18 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Rent Control Department, under Acting Commissioner Frederick Opoku, will shift from warnings to concrete enforcement against hostel operators accused of exploiting students and tenants, beginning Monday. The department is establishing dedicated student desks at tertiary institutions to handle complaints of unlawful practices.
18 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Private student hostel operators at KNUST have criticized the Rent Control Department's attempt to enforce price caps on accommodation, warning that price controls could create artificial shortages. The KNUST Hostel Owners Association argues that hostels operate under tourism licensing laws, not standard tenancy laws, and are already subject to annual oversight by multiple regulators.
18 August 2026 · Joy Online →
The Hostel Owners Association of Ghana is contesting the legal basis of the Rent Control Department's enforcement campaign against private student hostels, arguing that purpose-built student hostels fall outside the scope of the Rent Act 1963 and Rent Control Law 1986 because they provide accommodation with services such as security, cleaning, and management.
17 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology staged protests against private hostel operators charging between GH₵ 5,000 and GH₵ 10,000 annually, far above the government-regulated rate of GH₵ 2,167.80. The Hall Master of Unity Hall backed the students' grievance, calling the private fees "very exorbitant" while urging peaceful demonstration.
13 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Students at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology have protested against expensive private hostel accommodation, saying soaring costs are placing severe financial pressure on students and families and could affect their education. The students called for government intervention and alleged that private hostel owners are disregarding regulatory guidance from the Rent Control Department.
12 August 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Rent Control Department will require landlords and property owners to show compliance with rent-card requirements from August 17, 2026, and to register tenancy details by November 30, 2026, while hostel operators must comply with rent-control rules from the 2026/2027 academic year.
10 August 2026 · Joy Online →
A Ghanaian property technology company, Ownkey, has launched the FirstKey App to expose landlords and agents violating the government's six-month rent advance directive. The app aims to ensure only compliant listings are published and to support the Rent Control Department's enforcement efforts.
31 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Private hostel operators have appealed to the Rent Control Department for one month to establish an association for structured engagement with the Commissioner, citing concerns about negative media portrayals and seeking to address operational concerns. The appeal follows a petition by the National Union of Ghana Students calling for investigations into hostel pricing and stricter enforcement of rental laws.
2 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Ghana's Acting Rent Commissioner has ordered all hostel operators to suspend planned rent increases, warning that defaulters will face legal action. The department plans to register all landlords nationwide and has partnered with the Ghana Tourism Authority to monitor hostel facilities.
23 June 2026 · The Ghanaian Times →
Student accommodation shortages at Ghanaian universities have persisted since the late 1990s as enrolment exceeded hall capacity, with the root cause being the state's failure to expand infrastructure to match growing numbers, not hostel owner exploitation as recently alleged.
31 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Rent Control Department has directed private hostel operators to suspend proposed increases in hostel fees for the 2026/2027 academic year pending consultations, as student accommodation costs have become increasingly unaffordable around universities.
25 May 2026 · Daily Guide →
The Rent Control Department has directed private hostel operators to suspend proposed increases in hostel fees for the 2026/2027 academic year pending consultations, amid concerns over rising accommodation costs around universities.
22 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Rent Control Department will launch a digital reporting platform on Monday to allow students to report alleged exploitation by hostel operators charging arbitrary or excessive fees, according to Acting Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku.
20 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Office of the Rent Commissioner and Rent Control Department have directed private hostel owners to suspend all proposed increases in accommodation fees for the 2026/2027 academic year pending further consultations. The temporary hold follows public concern over rising hostel charges affecting students and their families.
19 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Rent Control Department has directed all private student hostel operators to suspend planned accommodation fee increases for the 2026/2027 academic year, citing rising costs and mounting public complaints about excessive hikes placing financial pressure on students and families.
19 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Traders in Accra's prime markets like Makola, Madina and Kantamanto face mounting commercial rents, arbitrary 'goodwill' payments (unofficial charges up to GH¢500,000 for prime locations), and dollar-indexed pricing that are eroding profit margins and threatening business sustainability.
13 May 2026 · Business & Financial Times →
Ghana's Acting Rent Commissioner Fredrick Opoku has accused some landlords and hostel operators of exploiting students through excessive accommodation charges, stating that rising hostel costs are pushing some students into prostitution to pay rent. The Rent Control Department is assessing hostel pricing following concerns from the National Union of Ghana Students over continuous fee increases.
12 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Ghana's Acting Rent Commissioner Fredrick Opoku has warned landlords that removing a tenant's roof or forcibly ejecting occupants without due process over rent disputes is criminal and will result in prosecution and imprisonment. He said the Rent Control Department will not tolerate "self-evictions" and described such actions as violations of human rights.
12 May 2026 · Joy Online →
The Commissioner of the Rent Control Department argues that housing developers must consider the income levels and economic circumstances of their target market, rather than building high-cost projects that exploit vulnerable groups such as students. He stressed that responsible investment decisions and a market-sensitive approach to housing provision are essential to ensure fairness in Ghana's rental sector.
12 May 2026 · Joy Online →
The Commissioner of the Rent Control Department has urged real estate developers to prioritise locally sourced construction materials to reduce rental charges, arguing that reliance on imported materials drives up construction and rental costs, particularly for students and low-income earners.
12 May 2026 · Joy Online →
The Rent Control Commissioner has expressed concern about increasing use of US dollars to price rent in Ghana, calling the practice unacceptable and contrary to legal tender regulations. He said his office would deepen collaboration with the Bank of Ghana to enforce compliance and protect the integrity of Ghana's rental and financial systems.
12 May 2026 · Joy Online →
The Commissioner of the Rent Control Department has raised concerns about a growing culture of lawlessness in Ghana's property and rental sector, citing landlords and developers who disregard legal frameworks by charging exorbitant rents in US dollars rather than the local currency.
12 May 2026 · Joy Online →
Acting Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku has criticised landlords and property owners for advertising and charging rents in US dollars despite the cedi being Ghana's legal tender, calling the practice unlawful and a sign of weak enforcement of financial regulations. The Rent Control Department is engaging the Bank of Ghana to help curb dollarisation in the property sector.
12 May 2026 · Joy Online →
The Students Command of the Economic Fighters League has condemned hostel accommodation charges at the University of Ghana, citing private operators charging as much as GH₵24,000 for single rooms and GH₵10,000 each for shared spaces, and calling it a social crisis that excludes ordinary students.
10 May 2026 · Joy Online →