Ghanaians Struggling to Pay Rent Advance Can Apply for Government Assistance: Requirements Explained

• Ghanaians struggling to raise huge rent advances can seek assistance through the National Rental Assistance Scheme
• The initiative allows qualified tenants to have their rent advances paid directly to landlords and repay the money monthly
• Applicants must meet specific income requirements and provide supporting documents before receiving approval

Many Ghanaians struggling to raise money for rent advances may not know a government-backed initiative exists to help them secure accommodation without paying large sums upfront.

The National Rental Assistance Scheme (NRAS), introduced in January 2023, provides financial assistance to eligible individuals who cannot immediately afford the advance payments landlords demand.

Instead of tenants struggling to raise one or two years' rent in advance, the scheme pays the required amount directly to their landlords, allowing beneficiaries to repay the money through manageable monthly instalments.

The initiative targets low- and middle-income earners, including workers in both the formal and informal sectors, provided they have a verifiable source of income.

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According to the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, the programme is intended to make decent accommodation more accessible to ordinary Ghanaians.

Requirements to qualify for rental assistance

Not every applicant automatically qualifies for assistance, as individuals must satisfy specific conditions before their applications can be approved.

According to the scheme's official guidelines, interested applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Be a Ghanaian citizen aged 18 years or above.
• Possess a valid Ghana Card.
• Have verifiable employment or a regular source of income.
• Provide three months' payslips, where applicable.
• Submit three months' bank statements or mobile money transaction statements.
• Provide two forms of identification.
• Pay a GH₵100 application processing fee.
• Ensure the proposed rent does not exceed 30 per cent of household income.

Self-employed individuals and business owners can also qualify if they provide acceptable financial records demonstrating their ability to make regular repayments.

For instance, under the 30 per cent affordability requirement, a household earning GH₵2,000 monthly would generally need to seek accommodation costing no more than GH₵600 per month.

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This means applicants must consider their income before selecting accommodation under the programme.

How to apply for government rent assistance

Interested applicants can visit the official National Rental Assistance Scheme website at www.nras.gov.gh to begin their application.

Applicants must complete the application form and submit the necessary documents for verification.

The scheme indicates that applications are generally assessed within five to ten working days, during which officials examine the applicant's income and ability to repay.

Once approved, officials contact the landlord, inspect the selected property and complete the necessary tenancy documentation before paying the rent advance directly to the property owner.

Beneficiaries then make their repayments to the scheme monthly, with payments due on the first day of each month.

The programme currently operates in Greater Accra, Ashanti, Eastern, Western, Northern and Bono East regions.

In January 2026, the government disclosed that 2,031 Ghanaians benefited from the programme in 2025, bringing the cumulative number of beneficiaries to 4,732.

Meanwhile, the government has announced a separate EasyRent initiative under the National Housing Fund, expected to launch before the end of 2026.

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However, the existing NRAS remains the programme with published application procedures for Ghanaians seeking rental assistance.

Rent Control fumes at owners of Vikings Hostel

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Frederick Opoku, the Acting Commissioner of the Rent Control Department, and his team visited Vikings Hostel at the University of Ghana, Legon and tried to meet the owners.

The Acting Commissioner of the Rent Control Department was unhappy with the hostel owners since they failed to show up for the meeting.

In a video, Frederick Opoku said they received a petition from the National Union of Ghanaian Students (NUGS) about the increase in hostel fees in the university.

Source: YEN.com.gh