The Senior Rent Officer and Head of Public Relations at the Rent Control Department, Emmanuel Xove Kporsu, has blamed the rising cost of rent in Ghana on unregulated activities by some agents and brokers.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Friday, November 21, Mr. Kporsu said the actions of certain agents continue to distort the rental market, forcing tenants to pay far more than necessary.

He explained that the Real Estate Agency Act, passed in 2020, and a stakeholder engagement held in October, aim to regulate the sector by setting standards for agent operations and fees. A council has been established to oversee the law’s implementation.

Under the new framework, the council will prescribe approved fees for agents and brokers, issue licences and certificates, and ensure that only qualified individuals operate in the sector.

“You cannot sit under a tree and call yourself an agent. It is an offence to operate without a licence. The sector will be properly regulated,” he emphasised.

Mr. Kporsu also linked high rental charges to collusion between landlords and unregistered agents. While the law prohibits landlords from demanding more than six months’ rent in advance, some agents reportedly influence landlords to request as much as two years.

“The agent is a key contributor to high rent in Ghana. The law allows landlords to request a maximum of six months’ rent in advance, but some agents collude with landlords to demand two years because they feel their fees are too low if they only take six months,” he explained.