The Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, has warned private hostel operators that they remain subject to Ghana’s rent laws and cannot set accommodation fees without approval from the Rent Control Department.
Mr Opoku said a license from the Ghana Tourism Authority does not exempt hostel operators from rent regulation, stressing that the Rent Control Department has the legal authority to assess rent charged by private hostels.
“Private hostels are not outside the law, simply because they are investors,” he said.
“Under Section 10, Rent Control has jurisdiction to assess all rent in this country, including hostel facilities.”
He made the comments as the Department continues its assessment of student accommodation and investigates complaints over what students describe as excessive hostel charges.
Mr Opoku dismissed arguments that hostels licensed by the Ghana Tourism Authority fall outside the Rent Control Department’s jurisdiction.
“The fact that GTA licenses them does not tell them that they are not under the framework of the rent laws of Ghana,” he said.
He explained that operators are required to apply to the Rent Control Department for an official assessment rather than independently determining what students should pay.
The Commissioner also rejected claims that high charges are justified by the cost of constructing hostels, bank loans and long-term land leases.
“Before you went for the money from the bank, you should have read the law,” he said.
“Know that I’m going to create a hotel business, and that I must work within the parameters of the law.”
The Department has already received complaints and applications from students over hostel charges, with Mr Opoku assuring that each case will be assessed.
His position is that while demand and supply may influence prices in the market, they do not override statutory requirements.
The Department has consequently been inspecting hostels and engaging operators in university communities across the country, including the University of Ghana and the University of Cape Coast, as part of efforts to enforce compliance.
Mr Opoku has maintained that the exercise is intended to ensure that hostel operators comply with the law while students are protected from unreasonable rental practices.
The Commissioner’s warning comes as students prepare for the new academic year, with accommodation costs remaining a major concern for many tertiary students.
