Accra Tenants Use Rent Act To Fight 2-Years Advance Demands

A level 300 production by Miriam Tetteh

For many renters in Accra, finding a room is only half the battle. The other half is paying for it. Despite the Rent Act, 1963 capping advance payments at six months, landlords across the city are still demanding two years upfront. 

                 The cost has forced tenants to borrow, relocate, or go without housing.Now, some residents are pushing back by quoting the law to landlords and reporting illegal demands to authorities.

The Problem:This Accra tenancy runs 24 months rent 

The Rent Act, 1963 limits advance rent payment to a maximum of six months. Despite this law, many landlords in Accra still demand two years upfront from tenants. “I had to borrow money from three different people just to pay 24 months for a single room,” a tenant in Madina said.

The fightback:A tenant checks section 25(5) of the Rent Act on a phone 

The Rent Control Department started a new enforcement task force in August 2026. However, many tenants are still unsure if the task force will bring real change. “We have heard promises before, but nothing happens to the landlords,” a shop owner in Kaneshie said. 

Experts recommend three steps for tenants facing illegal demands. First, tenants should verify the landlord’s documents at the Lands Commission before paying. Second, they should show Section 25(5) of the Rent Act and refuse to sign agreements for more than six months. 

         Third, tenants should report any demand above six months directly to Rent Control for action.

                                     

Tenants in Accra continue to face demands for two years of rent in advance, despite the Rent Act, 1963 limiting such payments to a maximum of six months. One tenant disclosed that his landlord collected 24 months rent at the start of the tenancy and has already requested another two-year payment ahead of the lease expiration. He noted that this practice has persisted in his area for several years without intervention.

The tenant stated that he has not reported the matter to the Rent Control Department because of a lack of confidence in the enforcement of the law. "In this Ghana there is no law and the law doesn’t work here in Ghana," he said during an interview. His remarks reflect a broader skepticism among renters regarding the effectiveness of existing legal protections.

The concerns come at a time when the Rent Control Department launched a new enforcement task force in August 2026 to address violations of Section 25(5) of the Rent Act. Legal experts maintain that reporting such demands is critical to achieving compliance, but many tenants remain doubtful that action will be taken against landlords. For now, tenants say the law remains their primary tool, even as they question whether it will be applied in practice.