Members of the Ashaiman branch of the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) have advised the public against the payment of advance towards the completion or building of houses for landlords for rental. To ensure a peaceful contract, the practitioners advised that documents covering advanced payments must be prepared before a house is rented to them. The advice was contained in a press release issued by the practitioners and signed by the Mediator, Gabriel Atsu. The release indicated that the ADR received 235 cases in 2006 of which rent disputes topped the list with 60 percent, followed by child neglect/maintenance, marital, divorce, land, minor assault and debt issues. It said so far 90 percent of all the cases brought before it had been were resolved. It said as at May 2007 rent cases continue to top the list of 116 cases received. Others are refusal to pay rent, utility bills, sanitation, and noise making. The release suggested that house owners should not share the payment of bills with their tenants, as they would be tempted to cheat the tenants by increasing the bills. The practitioners welcomed the proposed amendment to the rent Act 220 which according to them is long overdue and suggested that Rent Control Officers should not be given the mandate to give the final decision on rent issues since some are likely to abuse the privilege. Source: GNA