Finding a decent place to rent in Ghana’s urban centres has become a nightmare for many young people. From students to early career workers and new families, the country’s housing crisis is pushing many into financial distress and sometimes, straight into the arms of scammers.

Rising rent prices, coupled with landlords’ demands for one or two years advance payment, have created a market where rent desperation often outweighs cautions

Twenty-two year old Gladys and five other colleague students thought they had finally secured a chamber and hall apartment in Accra’s Osu neighbourhood.

They paid Gh₵24,960 to an agent and a landlord who appeared genuine, complete with receipts, pictures, and a set of keys.

But when they returned to move in, the locks had been changed and another tenant was already living there while the two culprits had vanished into thin air.

The story of these ladies is one of many in a growing trend of rental fraud, where fake agents and self-proclaimed landlords vanish after collecting money from unsuspecting tenants.

Beyond scams, cases of double renting are also on the rise. In some instances, multiple tenants are issued receipts for the same property leading to disputes, police involvement, and in some cases, violence.

Dorcas, a newly transferred nurse in Accra, paid for a room only to be called by a carpenter who had gone there to fix certain needed items for her that another man has come there to stop him from working saying he owns the house.

In the end, the culprit was guilty and was asked to refund her but the money had been spent leaving Dorcas stranded on the streets of Accra. She has since then been perching at her kid sister’s school hostel.

Officials from the Rent Control Department confirm such cases have become increasingly common as they receive dozens of complaints every month of people being defrauded or rooms being double-rented.

The average rent for a single room in Accra now ranges between ₵1,000 and ₵2,000 a month depending on location and landlords typically demand payment for two years in advance.

For many young workers, earning less than ₵1,500 a month is nearly impossible.

They tend to share a small rooms with friends in order to cope. Landlords, on the other hand, say inflation and rising maintenance costs leave them with little choice so taking one year or a minimum of that advancement will run them at a loss

Housing experts have constantly highlighted that Ghana’s rental system is unsustainable. They’re calling for the Rent Act to be fully enforced, and for affordable housing projects to target low- and middle-income earners.

The Government must regulate the rental market because affordable housing is not a privilege but a right.

There must also be a crackdown on fake agents because until that happens, thousands of young Ghanaians will continue to race for shelter, navigating high prices, fake agents, and an increasingly uncertain housing future.

Tenants on the other hand must also verify property ownership at the Lands Commission or Rent Control before making any payments.

Until these steps are considered, the rent race will continue to be a hurdle in urban areas.