Make available budgetary allocation to rent control -Chief Rent Officer
Appearing on e.tv Ghana’s breakfast show Awake, the Chief Rent Officer, Mr Addo Soin Dombo, has called on government to ensure that the budgetary allocation made to the Rent Control Department is made available promptly and in full. He said that this was vital to ensure the effective and efficient running of the department.
Mr Dombo noted that the difficulties his department face are largely due to the failure of previous governments to ensure that the funds, needed for the smooth running of the department, were made available.
Speaking to Awake’s host, Rashida Nasamu, he made these comments in an interview centering on the general rental problems facing ordinary citizens.
In its 2012 budget statement, government allocated GHS600,000 to the department for investment, procurement and smooth running of the Rent Control’s operations.
MAJOR CHALLENGES
Mr Dombo noted that one of the major challenges facing the department was the lack of personnel and logistics, adding that the department’s office in Accra, near the Tema Lorry Station, only had four rent offices.
He added that, at certain times, people had visited the office on weekends to lodge complaints.
Referring to problems affecting tenants in Accra, Mr Dombo said the demand for accommodation in the capital exceeded supply, thereby causing landlords to take advantage of prospective tenants.
He explained that, in the knowledge of this, opportunistic landlords were flouting the Rent Control Act which states that a landlord should not take more than six months rent advance from a tenant.
Mr Dombo explained that the law permits landlords to evict tenants who failed to pay their rent after one month.
He said majority of cases brought to the department were rent increases and charges of toilet fees. He, therefore, advised tenants to desist from paying toilet fees since it is the duty of the landlord to provide toilet facilities in their homes.
Mr Dombo also noted that the majority of rent problems in the country were caused by agents who charged 10 per cent as against 5 per cent as stated by law. He stated that the act was illegal and advised such agents to desist from the fraudulent act since it only ends up creating problems between tenants and landlords.
CHANGE OF NAME
He also noted that the name of the department, “Rent Control”, was misleading many tenants and landlords. He, therefore, noted that a proposal has been put before parliament for a change of name from the Rent Control Department to the Rent and Housing Management Department.
Mr Dombo bemoaned the act of demanding rental charges in foreign currencies, especially the US Dollar. He said although the department had no control over the type of currency to be charged, it was wrong to demand rent in foreign currencies.
He said many at times, parliamentarians and government officials were themselves perpetrating the act and that officials of the department have managed to resolve such problems.
He, therefore, called for a stronger law which would empower rent officers to discharge their duties effectively.
By: Jasmine Arku, e.tv Ghana
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