3 Tenants' Rights That are Non-Negotiatable For People Looking to Rent an Apartment in Ghana

3 Tenants' Rights That are Non-Negotiatable For People Looking to Rent an Apartment in Ghana

  • Many landlords in Ghana take advantage of the country's housing deficit to exploit people looking for homes to rent
  • Before you decide on a place to rent, make sure you are aware of your rights and privileges as a tenant before you sign the rental agreement
  • Do not rent a house until everything has been put in writing, signed and witnessed by a third party, most likely an agent

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Tenants at a House
Tenants at a House. Photo credit: Star FM. Source: UGC
Source: UGC

Many people in Ghana are house hunting for the perfect dream home. When they find it, they will quickly pay to secure it before it is gone since most properties especially in Accra do not stay on the market for too long.

The urgency with which people pay up for properties means a lot do not do their due diligence to determine what their rights are when they finally move in. This leaves a lot of people frustrated in the long run.

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Luckily, Yen.com.gh have put together four (4) rights every Ghanaian should know as a tenant when renting a place.

You have a Right to Your Privacy from Landlords

You have exclusive access to a house or apartment during your tenancy period. No landlord has the right to barge into your home at any hour for any reason.

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Landlords are not permitted to go through your possessions. If they want to enter your property, they must seek consent and permission from you before doing so.

Property Owners are Responsible for Structural Maintenance

Landlords are responsible for maintaining the property when it comes to fixes such as damaged roofs, faulty wiring, cracks in walls and other major repairs. The tenant, however, is required to fix minor repairs such as fixing a new light bulb or filling your gas cylinder.

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Problems Landlords Face When They Manage Their Own Properties

Your Tenancy Agreement Cannot Be Terminated Before it Expires

No landlord can terminate your rental agreement without any justifiable cause. Your contract spells out the duration of your stay and you are entitled to the property for the entire duration. The only time a landlord may have a cause to evict a tenant is when there is a breach in the rental agreement. Even when the rental agreement has been breached, the landlord may have to give the tenant up to three months' notice to evict his property.

4 Classy Apartments in Accra you Should Consider Renting this Weekend

In an earlier article, Yen.com.gh carefully put together a list of 4 elegant properties for rent in Accra that may not be on the market for too long. Finding a place to rent is hard, so it is important to capitalise on this opportunity to land yourself a sweet deal.

Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Richmond Setrana avatar

Richmond Setrana Richmond Setrana is a real estate editor for YEN.com.gh with 5 years of writing experience. He graduated from KNUST in 2016 with a bachelor’s degree in Sociology and is currently enrolled in a MA—Mass Communications program with Liverpool John Moores University. He has written for reputable platforms like meqasa.com, Noanyi, Edanra and Yourcommonwealth.org. He can be reached via: richmond.setrana@yen.com.gh