Rent Control Department Mandates Rent Cards for All Tenancies from April 1, 2026
The Rent Control Department of Ghana has issued directives mandating the issuance of Rent Cards. Effective 1st April 2026, every landlord is required to issue an official Rent Card to each tenant upon commencement of tenancy and ensure that rent payments are properly recorded therein.
This directive is in accordance with the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220) Section 20 and PNDCL 138 of 1986, Section 5, which make the issuance and proper maintenance of Rent Cards for all tenancies a statutory obligation.
As part of ongoing institutional reforms to strengthen compliance, transparency, and accountability in rent administration, the Department further stated that from 1st April 2026, no landlord who appears before any Rent Control office without proof of issuance of Rent Card(s) to tenants will be attended to for any service. This includes rent assessment applications, rent disputes, recovery of premises proceedings, complaints against tenants, and settlement processes.
Landlords found in default of issuing Rent Cards as required by law will be deemed in breach of statutory obligations and shall face the full rigors of the law, including sanctions prescribed under Act 220 and related regulations.
The Rent Control Department emphasized its commitment to enforcing rent laws fairly, professionally, and without fear or favour, and called on all stakeholders to cooperate with the directive in the collective interest of promoting orderly rent administration across Ghana.
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