Ghana rent regulator orders university hostel operators to refund unapproved increases
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Ghana's Rent Control Department has told the University of Ghana Enterprises Limited and private hostel operators nationwide to restore previous rents and refund excess payments by November 17.
Ghana's Rent Control Department has directed the University of Ghana Enterprises Limited (UGEL) and all private hostel operators across the country to suspend rent increases that have not gone through the required legal assessment and to refund excess rent paid by affected tenants by November 17, 2026.
The directive, issued on November 2, followed a petition from the University of Ghana Students' Representative Council seeking a review of proposed residential fees charged by UGEL. After requesting clarification from UGEL and considering the matter, the department extended the order to all private hostel owners and operators nationwide, saying that describing premises as student accommodation does not exempt them from the rent laws.
Operators must restore previous rental rates, stop collecting increased rents until the assessment process is completed, and refund the difference between the old rate and the amount actually paid. The refund exercise is expected to run from November 3 to November 17, with operators required to identify affected tenants, calculate excess payments and provide documentary evidence of refunds for verification.
The department said refunds will cover only the difference created by the increases, not the original rent payable under previous arrangements or separate legitimate charges unrelated to the increases. It warned operators against intimidating, harassing or victimising tenants who question increases, seek refunds or report suspected violations, and against using threats of eviction or denial of accommodation to force tenants to accept unassessed rents.
The department cited provisions of the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220), including sections 25(1)(b), 25(1)(i), 26(1) and 27(1), and said it would inspect premises, examine tenancy and payment records and investigate complaints. The directive was signed by Acting Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku and issued by Sylvia Kenou, head of the department's corporate affairs and communications unit.
The order applies to UGEL and University of Ghana-affiliated facilities as well as private hostels nationwide whose accommodation falls within the scope of the rent laws. Operators that fail to comply by the deadline face enforcement action.