7 “Simple” Solutions to Accra Rent Crisis According to Professor Reginald Arthur

Article about Acrra Rent Crisis Originally published by mynewsgh.com & slightly edited for clarity.

Noanyi comments italicized.

A lecturer with the Africa University College of Communications AUCC Dr. Reginald Arthur has proposed a solution series to Accra’s exorbitant rent prices advising government to intervene with urgency.

Dr. Arthur is proposing a policy of zoning various areas in Accra based on rent pricing with the government fixing the rent threshold for landlords to charge.

Zone areas in the capital and in other cities based on proximity to their central business districts and avaliability of social infrastructure such as schools, good roads, lorry stations etc.and other cities into (eg. East Legon, Cantonments, Airport City – Zone A, Dansoman, Madina, North Kaneshie, Tesano – Zone B, Pokuase, Amasaman, Adenta, Awoshie, Bortianor – Zone C).

“Set price ranges for apartments which all landlords are obliged to comply with (eg. Single room having facilities in point 1 – btwn Ghc150 – Ghc200/month based on size and zone, chamber & hall with facilities in point 1 – Ghc200 – Ghc350/month based on size and zone, 2 bedrooms with facilities in point 1 – Ghc350 – Ghc500 based on size and zone). Also, any additional room will cost extra Ghc50/month and an additional washroom will cost Ghc20/month.” he added.

Read Professor Reginald Arthur’s Full Proposal

1. Standardized Housing Facilities

Introduce some standardisation in rented buildings for residential purposes. For example, every rented apartment should have its own toilet and bath facility and a standard kitchen, should be completed with roofing & painting.

2. Area Zoning

Zone areas in the capital and in other cities based on proximity to their central business districts and avaliability of social infrastructure such as schools, good roads, lorry stations etc.and other cities into (eg. East Legon, Cantonments, Airport City – Zone A, Dansoman, Madina, North Kaneshie, Tesano – Zone B, Pokuase, Amasaman, Adenta, Awoshie, Bortianor – Zone C)

3. Standardized Pricing

Set price ranges for apartments which all landlords are obliged to comply with. For instance:

Any additional room will cost an extra GHS 50 per month, and an additional washroom will cost GHS 20 per month.

4. Routine Structural Inspections

Any person intending to offer building for rent should register the building at the local assembly for structural integrity inspection and compliance to standards set in points 1, 2 & 3. They are to pay yearly amounts to the local assembly based on number of facilities for renewal of the landlord titles. Any landlord found acting otherwise should be fined heavily and refusal to pay could lead to the local assembly taking over ownership of the building after several warnings.

5. Enforce Bank Payments and 6 Month Rent Advance

Mode of rent payments should only be through bank accounts and should be on monthly basis with no more than a sum payment for 6 months only. The account should be registered in the name of the landlord so the holder can be taxed and made to pay property tax.

6. Proper Addressing

The registered building/apartment(s) should have a permanent address which all tenants are to use for their letters, university postings, job applications, bank accounts and statement requests, water bills, electricity bills and must be recorded and updated onto driver’s license, and local and national data record. Failure to provide or update address at work, school, bank, licensing authority etc within 1 month after relocation should attract a fine for the person, failure to pay which could result in conviction to engage in communal labour for some days/weeks.

This is a use case for Ghana Post GPS and directly feeds into the next point below.

7. Centralized Database

The information on the pricing, zones and regulations for landlords and tenants should be readily available on a common website or at all post offices. A building/apartment fit for rent should be made to meet these requirements.

This is ideally what Loop MLS by GREPA should be addressing but it has received little use and visibility. Real estate portals like Meqasa, Jiji, Edanra have “solved” one part by providing pricing and availability information to the public for free. The other aspects of this will need to be taken up by government agencies with sufficient power to make it work.

This is my small pesewa to solving the rent crisis in Ghana which is becoming extremely unaffordable for the youth and adults alike and could be a national security threat soon.

I pray this will not become an “if its not broken don’t fix it” issue.

What are your thoughts on this? Will the laws of demand and supply counter this proposal or is this a workable solution for Accra?