Private rental housing in Ghana: Reform or renounce?

Abstract

Private rental housing has been strongly promoted in Ghana since the 1980s because public rental housing has a reputation for being inefficient, poorly maintained and inadequate. This study examines the extent to which private rental housing is efficient. The study has established that the quantity of private rental houses has increased over the years, which may be taken as an indicator of the efficiency of the private sector in providing rental housing. However, at the same time, there are various problems including poor maintenance, arbitrary increases in rent and wanton eviction of tenants. This evidence raises questions about whether it would be better to reform or renounce private rental housing as the principal focus of housing policy in Ghana. Reform may appear as more straightforward but it has its own inherent problems. Public rental housing could constitute a more effective alternative.

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