The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Western Regional Rent Control Department, Courage Cornelius Sonu, has identified the absence and improper management of tenancy agreements as a major source of conflicts within the housing and rental sector.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), he said the Office recorded 287 complaints in 2025, comprising 240 from landlords and 47 from tenants.

Out of the total complaints, 46 were struck out, two withdrawn, 135 settled, while 63 were referred to the courts for amicable resolution.

Mr Sonu noted that many of the disputes brought before the Rent Office stemmed from the lack of written tenancy agreements.

“We receive most of these complaints because there is no tenancy agreement between parties. As a result, landlords or tenants make demands that were not clearly stated in writing from the onset, and that accounts for most of the conflicts,” he said.

To address these challenges, he said the Rent Office was implementing rental reforms through a coordinated strategic plan and framework that would bring all stakeholders in the sector together to enhance effective rent control.

He explained that the reforms would introduce a six-month advance rent payment cap, regulate the determination of recoverable rent, and mandate the registration of landlords, tenants, and properties.

Other measures include standardising rent and tenancy agreements through model templates, intensifying public education, establishing a registry of vacant premises at the Rent Office to curb agent-related challenges, and licensing and regulating the activities of agents and agencies.

Mr Sonu urged landlords to appreciate the importance of formal tenancy agreements and encouraged tenants to read and understand all clauses before signing, as a way to reduce misunderstandings and confusion in the rental space.