Ghana’s Rent Control Department has announced a nationwide compliance exercise targeting student hostel operators, days after the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) formally petitioned housing authorities over what the union described as exploitative pricing practices around tertiary institutions.
The Department confirmed it will carry out a targeted inspection exercise across major university zones, assessing pricing structures and enforcing provisions under the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220). Regulators warned that advance rent collection beyond legally permitted limits will attract sanctions, including potential prosecution.
NUGS President Rashid Ibrahim had submitted the petition on April 23, demanding strict enforcement of the Rent Act, which requires rent officers to assess and approve any adjustments before landlords can raise prices. He said some landlords around university campuses are imposing arbitrary increases without seeking the required regulatory approval.
Ibrahim said the problem is systemic, driven by weak enforcement of rent laws and an inadequate supply of student accommodation, and noted that Ghana lacks a comprehensive database of private hostels, which he described as a major regulatory gap.
He said students are paying as much as 7,000 Ghana cedis per person for shared rooms in private hostels, often under poor living conditions, and warned that the crisis is forcing some students to defer or abandon their education altogether.
In response, the Rent Control Department said it will intensify oversight of rent adjustments, stressing that increments must follow lawful procedures with appropriate justification and notice. The Department is also developing hostel accommodation guidelines intended to define acceptable pricing frameworks and tenancy arrangements, to be drawn up in consultation with stakeholders.
Authorities plan to convene a national stakeholder forum bringing together student bodies, institutions, hostel operators, and regulators, and will introduce a dedicated complaints mechanism to allow students to report abuses and seek redress without fear of victimisation.
Ibrahim warned that NUGS is prepared to escalate the matter if authorities fail to act, including pursuing legal avenues and advocating for more rent courts and magistrates, and has hinted at a campaign targeting landlords who flout the law.
NUGS also proposed incentives for private developers, including tax breaks and low-interest loans, to increase hostel supply and introduce competition that could stabilise prices.
