GTA licence does not exempt private hostels from rent laws – Rent Commissioner
The Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, has warned private hostel operators that licences issued by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) do not exempt them from Ghana’s rent laws. Speaking on the Joy FM Super Morning Show, during a discussion on the Rent Control Department’s crackdown on what it describes as exorbitant hostel fees, Mr Opoku […]
Acting Rent Commissioner Frederick Opoku has clarified that the issuance of licences by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) does not exempt private hostel operators from adhering to Ghana's rent laws. Speaking on Joy FM Super Morning Show, Opoku emphasized that private hostels remain subject to rent regulation regardless of their investment level.
Under Section 10, rent control has jurisdiction over all rent assessments across the country, including hostel facilities, he explained. Hostel operators should seek assessment from the Rent Control Department if they wish to operate within the law, Opoku urged, clarifying that deciding on charges is not an individual power. The Rent Control Department is already receiving applications from students over hostel charges, he added, stating that eventually, all private hostels will be assessed.
Opoku also addressed the misconception that GTA licenses remove private hostels from rent law jurisdiction, emphasizing that licensing by different entities does not remove them from the scope of rent legislation. He cited examples of private hostels on the University of Ghana campus to illustrate that the level of investment cannot be used to claim exemption from rent regulation.
According to Opoku, investors should be aware of and comply with the country's legal requirements before committing funds to hostel businesses.
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