The Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, says recent inspections near several major tertiary institutions uncovered serious violations of rental regulations.
According to him, some hostel operators charged unapproved fees and kept students in overcrowded rooms.
The Rent Control Directorate launched the inspections after receiving complaints from students about poor living conditions and unfair treatment by hostel owners.
“We received petitions from students and decided to go into the field. What we found was scary and damaging,” he said.
Mr Opoku explained that many hostel operators increased rent prices without following the legal process required under Ghana’s rent laws.
He stressed that landlords must first apply for approval and allow officials to assess the property before raising charges.
“Increasing rent requires application and assessment. That was not being followed,” he explained.
He also expressed concern about overcrowding in some hostels. In several cases, operators reportedly placed four students in very small rooms while charging expensive fees.
According to Mr Opoku, some landlords and hostel managers are taking advantage of the high demand for accommodation around schools such as the University of Ghana and the University of Professional Studies, Accra.
He acknowledged that the demand for student housing remains high, but insisted that the law does not allow property owners to increase rent arbitrarily.
“People are exploiting demand. But the law requires assessment before any increase,” he said.
The Rent Control Directorate says it has started working closely with tertiary institutions to improve supervision and ensure that private hostels follow the law.
