President John Dramani Mahama has urged tenants to report landlords who demand rent advances beyond what is permitted by law, calling for stricter enforcement to curb exploitation in the housing sector.

Speaking during a dialogue with Organised Labour at Jubilee House on Tuesday, March 17, the president said rising housing costs are placing a heavy burden on households, making access to affordable accommodation increasingly difficult.

“Housing is a major problem, and for households, it is consuming their income. We need to have a national housing dialogue to decide how the private sector, government, and labour can come together to develop a social housing policy that ensures affordable housing for workers, whether through mortgages or rental options,” he stated.

President Mahama attributed the increasing demand for excessive rent advances to the country’s housing deficit, noting that some landlords exploit the situation to impose unlawful charges on tenants.

“The reason private house owners are taking advantage is because of the housing deficit. We have the rent court, and the law says no more than six months’ rent advance, but both tenants and landlords are often unwilling to go to the rent court,” he added.

He encouraged tenants to take decisive action by reporting such practices to the appropriate authorities, assuring that offenders would be sanctioned.

“You can report such landlords to the rent court, and we will ensure they are held accountable,” he emphasised.

The President’s comments come amid growing public concern over the widespread practice of landlords demanding up to two years’ rent in advance, a situation widely criticised as unlawful and exploitative.