Emmanuel Hovey Kporsu, Public Relations Officer of the Rent Control Department
The Public Relations Officer of the Rent Control Department, Emmanuel Hovey Kporsu, has indicated that tenants are not required by law to pay toilet fees charged by their landlords after they have paid their rent.
According to him, the toilet fees charged by the landlords are unlawful because it is included in the rent paid by the tenants.
It is for this reason why landlords are barred from fixing rates without express approval from an appropriate rent officer.
According to him, a landlord who wants to commercialize his premises must present an application to Rent Control for an assessment to be conducted on the property.
He said after the assessment is done, and Assessment Certificate is issued to the landlord, he can advertise the premises for prospective tenants.
“Without an assessment certificate, the property owner cannot lease the premises,” he added.
He also indicated that landlords who are unhappy with the assessment conducted on their properties could appeal to the Rent Magistrate for a review within seven days after the process.
Section 12(1) posits that “The landlord or tenant of any premises or a person interested in such premises may appeal to the appropriate Rent Magistrate, in the prescribed form, from the assessment by the appropriate Rent Officer of the amount of the recoverable rent of such premises within seven days after such assessment.”
Per the Rent Act 1963 (Act 220), the Rent Magistrate to whom an appeal has been made from an assessment of the appropriate rent officer shall have the power to refer any matter relating to such appeal for further investigation.
He is also mandated to vary the amount of the assessment in accordance with the provisions of the Rent Act.
He said the toilet fee is added to the rent during the assessment and after the tenant pays for the rent, he is not supposed to pay extra for the toilet fee.
“If you have paid your rent, you are not supposed to pay extra for the toilet fee. It is unlawful,” he warned.