Rent Control to deploy task force to enforce 6-month rent advance limit in 2027 – Rent Commissioner

The Rent Control Commission is preparing to deploy 2,000 personnel under a task force dubbed Yellow Yellow in the first quarter of 2027 to enforce Ghana’s rent laws, including restrictions on advance rent payments.

Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku announced the plan during an interview on JoyNews Prime, saying the Commission was moving from public education to strict enforcement after spending the past 10 months sensitising landlords and tenants about their legal obligations.

“I’ve been in office the last 10 months. Rent control has existed 64 years. When I came, I realized that people are not educated about certain things,” he said.

Mr Opoku said many tenants and landlords remained unaware that the law restricts the amount of rent that can be demanded in advance, despite the legislation having been in existence for decades.

He explained that his initial approach had been to educate the public before taking enforcement action.

“And as a public servant, humbly, it is fair for me to educate, sensitize before I enforce. So I have done it 10 months,” he added.

The Commissioner said the planned task force would mark a more aggressive phase in the Commission’s efforts to ensure compliance with rental regulations.

“Now there’s a standby 2,000 rent task force called Yellow Yellow. That next year, by first quarter, we are going to deploy 2,000 young men, and that’s where you see a full enforcement of the law,” he said.

The proposed deployment is expected to strengthen the Commission’s ability to monitor rental practices and address violations across the country.

The announcement comes amid longstanding concerns about landlords demanding one or two years’ rent in advance, despite the legal limits established under Ghana’s Rent Act.

Under Section 25(5) of the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220), as amended, landlords are prohibited from demanding more than six months’ rent in advance for tenancies exceeding six months. The law also restricts advance payments for shorter tenancies.

The provision makes excessive advance rent demands an offence, with penalties applicable upon conviction.