Secretary-General of the National Tenants Association of Ghana has criticized MPs for fuelling lawlessness in the rent industry by collecting four years rent advance instead of six months as stipulated by the 1963 Rent Control Act.

“Even parliamentarians are breaking the law. Are they not taking four years advance? Honourable Members of Parliament, the Speaker and all his groups are breaching the same law they are supposed to be protecting”, Frederick Opoku said on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show Wednesday.

In 2013, 275 members of Parliament shared over GH¢13.7million with each MP receiving GH¢50,000 allowance for their four-year term.

Secretary-General of the National Tenants Association of Ghana, Frederick Opoku

They had previously received Gh¢ 30,000 in 2009 as rent. There are fears that they will increase the rent when a new parliament is sworn in come 2017.

But according to the Rent Act (Act 220) of 1963  “any person who as a condition of the grant, renewal or continuance of a tenancy demands in the case of a monthly or shorter tenancy, the payment in advance of more than a month’s rent or in case of tenancy exceeding six months, the payment in advance of more than six months rent shall be guilty of an offence.”

Mr. Opoku said the failure of Rent Control Department to enforce the law has left Ghanaians at the mercy of landlords and property owners.

Frederick Opoku [left] with Eric Dallinpour of the Rent Control Department

He called for the scrapping of the Department because it has failed in controlling rent in the country.

According to the leader of the Association, the statutory body “doesn’t have any use at all. It is becoming a waste of resources for people to be paid…it is becoming a toothless bulldog”.

Picking out sections of the Rent Act for his argument on the Wednesday edition of Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, Fredrick Opoku said over 20 years after the passing of the 1963 Rent Act, he is yet to meet a Rent Commissioner although there is a provision for that position.

He said according to the law, landlords and property owners are not even supposed to determine the price of a house. The determination of rent is done by rent officers after inspecting the facility, Mr. Opoku pointed out.

Rent Control Department has been complaining that it is under-resourced. The agency has said it is indebted to the tune of over GhȻ600,000. This is because of the failure of government to disburse approved statutory funds since 2012, the Chief Rent Controller, Addo Soin Dombo has said.

Mr. Opoku is convinced that government has demonstrated that it is not interested in resourcing the Department.

“How much does it take to offer them vehicles to ensure that they are up to the task?”, he wondered.

Rent Officer Eric Dallinpour explained that as long as a housing deficit remains in Ghana, the Rent Control Department cannot control rent.