The Office of the Rent Commissioner has directed all landlords across Ghana to issue official Rent Cards to tenants beginning April 1, 2026, warning that failure to comply will attract sanctions under the law.
In a press statement dated February 25, 2026, the Rent Control Department announced the “issuance and mandatory use of Rent Cards under the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220) and PNDCL 138,” stressing that the requirement is not new but a statutory obligation that will now be strictly enforced.
“The issuance and proper maintenance of Rent Cards for all tenancies remains a statutory obligation,” the statement said, citing Section 5 of the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220) and PNDCL 138 of 1986.
According to the Office of the Rent Commissioner, the directive forms part of ongoing institutional reforms aimed at strengthening compliance, transparency and accountability in rent administration nationwide.
Under the new enforcement regime, “effective 1st April 2026, every landlord is required to issue an official Rent Card to each tenant upon commencement of tenancy and ensure that rent payments are properly recorded therein,” the statement emphasised.
The department further announced that landlords who appear before any Rent Control office without proof of issuing Rent Cards to their tenants will be denied access to services. “From 1st April 2026, no landlord who appears before any office of the Rent Control Department without proof of issuance of Rent Card(s) to his or her tenant(s) shall not be entertained for any service,” the statement warned.
The affected services include rent assessment applications, rent dispute adjudication, recovery of premises proceedings, complaints against tenants and settlement processes.
The Office of the Rent Commissioner also signalled strict penalties for non-compliance. “Any landlord found to be in default of issuing Rent Cards as required by law shall be deemed to be in breach of statutory obligations and shall face the full rigors of the law, including sanctions prescribed under Act 220 and related regulations,” it stated.
