The Rent Control Department has begun a compliance assessment of hostel facilities in Accra following complaints of alleged tenant abuse and exorbitant rent charges targeting students.
The exercise follows petitions submitted by the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) and the National Tenants Union of Ghana over what they describe as exploitative accommodation fees within tertiary institutions.
Leading the inspection was Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku, who admonished the Ministers for Education and Housing to intervene in the growing accommodation crisis affecting students.
According to him, the situation on the ground appears worse than initially reported in the petition by NUGS.
“The law doesn’t protect landlords and leave tenants,” he stated, describing some of the practices uncovered as “criminal.”
The inspection team made unannounced visits to several hostels around the University of Ghana and the University of Professional Studies both in Legon, Accra.
At Supreme Hostel, located at Okponglo-Legon, officials discovered that the facility lacked certification from the Ghana Tourism Authority.
Supreme Hostel charges students about GHS 4,800 per occupant in a four-in-a-room arrangement, excluding a monthly electricity bill of GHS 200. This excludes an extra utility fee charged for the use of a shared kitchen. The Rent Control Department further questioned whether the pricing matched the dimensions and conditions of the rooms.
At Abrempong Hostel and Heaven’s Gate Hostel, which serve the University of Professional Studies, management representatives were absent during the inspection. However, interactions with residents revealed a stark disparity between the service provided and the fees charged. Abrempong Hostel, like others in the area, had already put up an increment on their rent, which the Rent Commissioner revealed to be an illegal procedure.
Meanwhile, the management of Vikings Hostel on the University of Ghana premises reportedly declined to meet the inspection team. Officials of the Rent Control Department, however, noted that rent charges at the facility, where some students reportedly pay as much as GHS 10,000 for a two-in-a-room arrangement, appeared inconsistent with acceptable standards.
The inspection team also visited Pent Hostel, operated by Ghana Hostels Limited, where management held discussions with Rent Control officials over alleged inconsistencies in pricing and standards.
At Prestige Hostel, the Rent Commissioner interacted with students and management while assessing compliance with the Rent Act.
Director of Communications and Corporate Affairs for the National Tenants Union of Ghana, Reindolph Afrifa-Oware, praised government intervention, warning that the trend continues to place financial pressure on students and families.
“Ghana’s student accommodation fees rank among the highest on the continent… education should not be burdened as such”
The Rent Commissioner warned that some hostel operators could face sanctions or closure if they fail to comply with the law.
“The rules have been flouted,” he stressed. “Many hostels will be closed down.”
He added that the department would soon invite hostel operators and student leaders in Accra for a roundtable discussion scheduled for Wednesday, May 13, 2026, aimed at setting standards and addressing what he described as widespread extortion within the student accommodation sector.
The Rent Control Department says it will, in the coming days, issue formal notices to hostel operators across the city as part of efforts to enforce compliance and ensure fair pricing for tenants.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh/Ekow Boakye
