Acting Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku has stated that while hostel operators in Ghana deserve to earn fair returns on their investments, accommodation charges must still undergo proper assessment to ensure fairness and compliance with the country’s rent regulations.
Speaking during an interview, Mr. Opoku addressed growing concerns over rising hostel fees around tertiary institutions, where many students and parents have complained about the increasing cost of accommodation.
According to him, although investors in the hostel business face high construction costs, maintenance expenses, utility bills, and loan interest rates, rent charges cannot be fixed arbitrarily without assessment by the appropriate authorities.
“It will be unfair for me to sit here and say the fair price must be this. I believe in using scientific means,” he stated.
Mr. Opoku explained that rent assessment involves evaluating several factors, including the location of the facility, cost of construction, available amenities, maintenance expenses, and prevailing market conditions, before determining whether charges are reasonable.
He questioned whether many hostel operators had subjected their facilities to proper rent assessment procedures before imposing high accommodation fees on students.
The Acting Rent Commissioner stressed that the Rent Control Department is not against private investment in the accommodation sector but is focused on ensuring a balance between profitability for investors and affordability for tenants.
His comments come amid growing concerns over accommodation costs near universities such as the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), and other tertiary institutions, where some hostel fees have reportedly become unaffordable for many students.
In recent months, students and parents have increasingly raised concerns about sharp increases in hostel charges, with some blaming the situation on limited accommodation spaces and growing demand around campuses.
Mr. Opoku assured that the Rent Control Department would continue engaging hostel operators and stakeholders to ensure compliance with Ghana’s rent laws while promoting fairness within the housing and accommodation sector.
