The Senior Rent Officer of the Rent Control Department, Mr Fred Tawiah, has disclosed that there are 2,722 rent cases currently pending for hearing in Accra.
Speaking to the GNA, he said the Department is estimating close to over 10,000 cases by the close of the year. However, he said there are only two rent officers sitting on these cases which is delaying justice.
Mr Tawiah said most of the cases bordered on misunderstandings between tenants and landlords as well as tenants or both parties tending to breach their terms of contract.
Some also happened as a result of the payment of electricity bills, domestic chores and water bills.
Mr Tawiah, however, admitted there was the need for more rent control offices in the Greater Accra to cater for some of these cases and ease pressure on the existing two offices.
He said their attempt to get the Accra Metropolitan Assembly to offer them offices at every sub-metro had not been fruitful.
He says the proposed amendment of the Rent Act was a step in the right direction.
Mr Tawiah said this was because some of the laws were outmoded.
He said some of the functions of the rent officer needed to be reviewed, and given more powers to deal with issues that come to their notice.
Mr Tawiah noted that in the current law there was limited powers given to the rent officer in terms of dealing with landlords who refused to issue rent cards to their tenants.
"We need to be given the (powers) to deal with parties who flout the rent control laws," he said.
Mr Tawiah said because of the absence of these powers they are unable to deal effectively with some of the complaints lodged at their offices.
He therefore proposed a law that would propel any landlord, tenant or both to pay a fine for refusing to obey the decision of the Rent Control Department.
Mr Tawiah also advised the public to desist from paying rent advance to landlords before the completion of a building saying the building might not contain the amenities they requested.
He suggested that government made it a priority to provide accommodation for all civil and public servants, saying this would help address some of the accommodation problems.
Source: GNA
DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Tags:
Latest Stories
-
You lose your land for life if you release it to illegal miners- Okyenhene warns
20 mins -
Robbers kill policeman in Upper Denkyira East, wound 2 officers
21 mins -
StopGalamseyNow: 20 songs that address Ghana’s social problems
36 mins -
Election 2024: Prioritise facts over falsehood – Akufo-Addo to journalists
2 hours -
Floods and landslides kill at least 100 in Nepal
4 hours -
KTB hails media for shaping positive narratives about Kenya as a premier travel destination
5 hours -
We’ve gone back to basics, targeting SMEs, corporate sectors to grow rapidly – Republic Bank MD
6 hours -
‘NPP Girls Girls’ to officially outdoor group
6 hours -
Precocity, pain & perfection: Reviewing Michael Essien’s Ghana career
6 hours -
Tracing Elsa’s Legacy: A journey through Meru National Park
8 hours -
Edward Adeti wins P.V Ansah Journalist of the Year at 28th GJA Media Awards
8 hours -
MGL’s Clinton Yeboah wins Best Student Journalist at 28th GJA Media Awards
8 hours -
Emmanuel Kwasi Debrah wins Best Science and Technology Reporter at 28th GJA Media Awards
8 hours -
MGL’s David Andoh wins Photojournalist of the Year at 28th GJA Media Awards
8 hours -
Erastus Asare Donkor wins reporter on Illegal Mining at 28th GJA Media Awards
8 hours