Rent Control Dep't to deny services to landlords without rent cards from August 17

Landlords who fail to issue and maintain rent cards for tenants may be denied services by the Rent Control Department from August 17, 2026.

The Department says the new enforcement measure is part of a wider push to ensure compliance with Ghana’s rent laws and improve documentation in the rental sector.

In a statement issued on Monday, August 10, Acting Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku said landlords and property owners must be ready to prove that they have met the mandatory rent-card requirement when seeking services from the Department.

Where a landlord is unable to provide satisfactory evidence, the Department may refuse or delay the requested administrative service until the legal requirement is fulfilled.

“Where a landlord is unable to provide satisfactory evidence of the issuance and maintenance of the required rent card, the Department may decline to process or provide the relevant administrative service until the statutory obligation has been regularised,” the statement warned.

The Department stressed that rent cards are not a new policy.

It said the requirement already exists under Ghana’s rent laws.

Under Section 20(1) of the Rent Act, 1963, Act 220, landlords of premises rented on a monthly or shorter tenancy are required to issue tenants with a rent card within seven days after the tenancy begins.

The card must state the names and addresses of the landlord and tenant, as well as the rent payable.

The Rent Control Law, 1986, PNDCL 138, also requires landlords of residential accommodation covered by the law to issue rent cards and provide the relevant Rent Control office with details of tenants and rents paid.

Beyond rent cards, landlords have also been directed to regularise the registration of their tenancies and property records by November 30, 2026.

The Department said this is in line with Section 4 of PNDCL 138, which requires residential landlords to register lease or tenancy agreements with the Rent Control Department within 14 days after entering into them.

The law also bars landlords from demanding or receiving rent for such accommodation unless the registration requirement has been met.

The Department warned that failure to regularise tenancy and property records could lead to applications for administrative services being deferred or rejected until the necessary documents are submitted and verified.

Hostel operators have also been put on notice.

The Department said student accommodation providers are not automatically exempt from rent-control rules simply because they operate as hostels.

From the 2026/2027 academic year, hostel operators whose arrangements fall under applicable rent laws will be required to issue prescribed rent cards to student tenants and comply with registration requirements.

They will also be expected to keep proper records of student tenants, rooms occupied, rent payable, tenancy periods and other information required by law.

The Rent Control Department said it will engage tertiary institutions, student representative bodies, hostel associations, local authorities and other regulators to support implementation.

It warned that non-compliance with rent-card and registration requirements is a legal breach, not merely an administrative lapse.

Under PNDCL 138, infringement of the relevant provisions constitutes an offence.

The law also provides that a landlord’s complaint or action against a tenant cannot be heard by the Department unless the landlord has fulfilled the required obligations.

The Department said it will gradually intensify monitoring, inspections, registration and compliance activities across the country.

It said the initial approach will focus on education while still backing compliance with enforcement where necessary.

“The Department will adopt an education-first but enforcement-backed approach, giving landlords and hostel operators reasonable opportunity to regularise their affairs while taking appropriate action against persistent or deliberate violations of the law,” it said.

The Department said proper documentation of rental arrangements will improve accountability, support dispute resolution, protect tenants and encourage responsible property management.