Rent cannot be demanded beyond the tenancy
Rent Act 1963 (Act 220), s.25(5), as amended by PNDC Law 5
A landlord may charge for the period you will actually occupy. Paying for the academic year you are living there is normal. Being asked for two years when you are staying one is not, and it is what the law prohibits.
On a monthly tenancy the maximum advance is two months. On renewal it drops to 3 months.
A landlord demanding one or two years is going beyond what the law allows, not driving a hard bargain. The penalty is a fine of up to GHS 6,000 or up to two years imprisonment, and the Rent Control Department began enforcing this on 1 April 2026.
This applies no matter what you signed. An agreement to pay more than the legal maximum does not make it legal.
A written receipt for every payment
Rent Act 1963 (Act 220)
You are entitled to a receipt showing who paid, who received, the premises, the amount, and the period it covers. Most students never get one, and that missing paper is why they lose disputes.
If you pay in cash and get nothing in writing, you have no proof you paid at all. Insist. On room.gh a receipt is generated automatically for every payment.
No eviction without a court order
Land Act 2020 (Act 1036); Rent Act 1963
A landlord cannot throw you out, change the locks, remove your belongings, cut your water or power, or send anyone to intimidate you. Eviction requires a court order, and only a court bailiff can carry it out.
Self-help eviction is unlawful regardless of whether you owe rent. If it happens, go to the Rent Control Department or the police.
Rent cannot be increased mid-tenancy
Rent Act 1963; Rent Control Law 1986 (PNDCL 138)
The rent you agreed stands for the period you paid for. A landlord who raises it halfway through, or adds charges that were never in the agreement, is in breach.
Increases must follow the proper process and be justified to the Rent Control Department.
Your tenancy should be registered
Rent Control Department, mandatory since September 2024
Landlords are required to register tenancies with the Rent Control Department. An unregistered tenancy is a signal the landlord is avoiding oversight.
If a landlord demands more
- 1Do not pay it. Paying does not make the demand lawful, but it makes recovering your money much harder.
- 2Get it in writing. Ask by WhatsApp how many months they want and screenshot the reply. A written demand for twelve months is evidence of an offence.
- 3Cite the section. Tell them section 25(5) of the Rent Act 1963 caps advance rent to the period you are occupying. Many landlords back down at this point, because enforcement is now real.
- 4File a complaint. The Rent Control Department portal is at rentcontrol.mwh.gov.gh. Complaints are free. Bring your evidence and any receipts.
- 5Tell your SRC. Student unions track which hostels exploit students, and collective pressure works faster than individual complaints.
Before you pay anyone
- Visit the room. Not a photo of a room - that room.
- Check the water actually runs, and ask when the tank is filled.
- Never pay without a receipt naming the premises.
- Read what you sign, including anything about charges beyond rent.
This page is general information about Ghanaian law, not legal advice for your situation. If you are facing eviction or have lost money, speak to the Rent Control Department, your university's student affairs office, or Legal Aid Commission Ghana, which provides free assistance.
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