The short version: most of what your aunt told you about Rent Control is half right. The 1963 Act is alive, but parts of it are quietly ignored, and the 2018 draft Bill — if it passes — will tighten the rules considerably. Here's what a working landlord with a few units actually needs to know.
What the 1963 Act says
Ghana's Rent Act 1963 (Act 220) and its amendment Act 1986 (PNDCL 138) are still the law on the books. The headline provisions:
- Tenants have the right to a written tenancy agreement.
- Rent increases must be reasonable, with notice to the tenant.
- Landlords must register with the Rent Control Department in the regional office where the property sits.
- Disputes go to the Rent Control Department first, then to the Rent Magistrate's Court if unresolved.
- Eviction without a court order is illegal. Period.
These are not suggestions. They're enforceable. The fact that many landlords get away with skipping registration doesn't change the legal exposure when a tenant decides to file a complaint.
What's quietly ignored
In practice, three parts of the Act have weak enforcement:
- Registration. The Rent Control Department's records are incomplete. Many properties in Accra and Kumasi have never been registered. If your tenant doesn't escalate, no one is checking — until they do.
- The 6-month advance cap that supposedly exists. It doesn't. The 1963 Act has no specific cap on advance rent. The 1- to 2-year advance norm developed because there's no rule against it — and because landlords like the cash flow. This is the part the new draft Bill is trying to fix.
- The Rent Magistrate's Court. It exists, but cases move slowly. Landlords who try to evict through the courts often wait 6–18 months for resolution. This is one reason landlord-tenant disputes in Ghana get settled informally far more often than legally.
The 2018 draft Rent Bill
A new Rent Bill has been in draft since 2018, with refinements through 2024. As of early 2026 it has not been passed into law. If and when it passes, these are the parts that affect you most:
- A statutory 6-month maximum on advance rent. No more 1- or 2-year advances.
- Mandatory landlord registration with a new central rental authority, supplementing the regional Rent Control Departments.
- Statutory dispute resolution timelines — disputes must be heard within a specified window.
- Penalties for non-compliance that have teeth (current Act penalties are small enough to ignore).
Whether it passes this year or in five years, the direction is clear: more registration, less advance, tighter enforcement.
Five clauses worth adding to your lease today
Whatever happens to the Bill, these clauses protect you under the current Act and under any reasonable amendment:
- Rent review notice period. State explicitly that the landlord will give 60 days' written notice before any rent increase, and that increases happen at most once every 12 months. This is more protective than the Act demands, but it's what tenants expect and it pre-empts disputes.
- Advance rent accounting. State that advance rent is held as a credit and drawn down monthly. This matters for your accountant (it's a liability, not income) and for the tenant (clear running balance).
- Security deposit handling. Separate from rent. State what it covers (unpaid rent, damages beyond fair wear and tear), where it's held, and how it'll be returned within 30 days of move-out with an itemized statement.
- Termination notice. Spell out the notice period in months — usually three for monthly tenancies, six for longer leases — and define material breach (non-payment past 30 days, illegal use, persistent nuisance).
- Dispute resolution. Name the regional Rent Control Department as the first step before court. This shows good faith and is often required anyway.
If you only do one thing this week: register with the Rent Control Department for the region your property sits in. The fee is modest, the process takes about a week, and it removes the single biggest legal vulnerability you have. You can do it without a lawyer — bring your title document, lease agreements, and a passport-sized photo.
What to do next
Three concrete moves:
- If you haven't registered with Rent Control, do that before the end of the month.
- Pull out your most recent lease and check it against the five clauses above. Update the template you use going forward.
- If you have advance rent on the books, recognise it as a liability that draws down monthly — not as income. Your accountant will thank you, and you'll be ready if the Bill passes.
The Act is from 1963 but the principles haven't changed: a written agreement, a registered tenancy, and a fair process for disputes. Most landlords who get into trouble in court got there by skipping one of those three.
Informational — not legal advice. For your specific situation, consult a Ghanaian property lawyer.