Rent and Apartment Scams in Accra and Kumasi: Fake Landlords, Fake Agents and "Commitment Fees"

Short answer: never pay a "commitment fee", deposit or rent advance for a room you have not seen in person, and never pay anyone until you have confirmed they own the property or are licensed to rent it out. Fake landlords and agents in Accra and Kumasi post stolen photos on Facebook, Instagram, Jiji and Tonaton, collect fees, and disappear. Under the Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220), a landlord also cannot legally demand more than six months' rent in advance for a long tenancy, and the Rent Control Department says it is now enforcing that.

How do rent scams in Ghana work?

• The too-good listing. A neat chamber and hall self-contained in East Legon, Adenta or Ahodwo at a price far below what similar places cost. The photos are copied from another listing or a hotel site.
• "Pay commitment before viewing." The "agent" says many people want the place, so you must send GH¢200 to GH¢1,000 by MoMo to "reserve" it before the viewing. Then the viewing never happens, or you arrive and nobody answers.
• The landlord abroad. "I am in the UK, my caretaker will give you the keys after you pay." There are no keys.
• One room, many tenants. Someone with access to an empty flat, sometimes a caretaker or a previous tenant, shows it to several people and collects rent advance from each. In September 2025 the Graphic reported an Accra court case in which a man was accused of taking GH¢24,000 as a year's advance for a room at Dzorwulu, and the complainant later learned that several other people had allegedly paid for the same apartment.
• Fake agents with real keys. They show a real property but have no authority from the owner. You pay them; the real landlord has never heard of you.

What does the law say about rent advance in Ghana?

Many landlords ask for one or two years' rent upfront. It is common, but the law says otherwise. The Rent Act, 1963 (Act 220) makes it an offence for a landlord to demand or collect more than six months' rent in advance for a long-term tenancy. The Rent Control Department said it would enforce the cap from 1 April 2026.

In June 2026 the Acting Rent Commissioner, Frederick Opoku, urged tenants and prospective tenants to report landlords who demand more than six months' advance, warning that offenders face fines or up to two years in prison (reported by the Graphic). He also said landlords must register before they can use Rent Control services, and encouraged tenants to register their tenancy agreements. A new Rent Bill has been discussed for years; until it is passed, Act 220 is the law.

The six-month rule is about legality, not proof of a scam. A real landlord can still break it. But knowing the law gives you a reason to slow down when someone demands two years in cash today.

Viewing fees and agent fees: what is normal?

Viewing fees are widely charged by agents in Accra and Kumasi, but there is no official fee scale. Treat them carefully:

• A small viewing fee paid in person, on the day you actually view, is one thing. A "commitment" or "reservation" fee before you have seen anything is the scam.
• Ask what the fee covers, how many properties you will see, and get a receipt with the agent's name and phone.
• Do not pay the main agent's fee or rent until you have met the landlord or seen written authority from them.

How to check a property and an agent

1. Check the agent's licence. Since the Real Estate Agency Act, 2020 (Act 1047), agents and brokers must be licensed by the Real Estate Agency Council. Its website, reac.gov.gh, has a public search for licensed agents and brokers by name or licence number, and a page to report unlicensed activity.
2. View in person, ideally twice, once in daylight and once in the evening. Video calls can be filmed anywhere.
3. Meet the landlord. Ask for their Ghana Card and something that links them to the house: a utility bill in their name, a property rate demand notice, or ownership documents. The name should match.
4. Talk to the neighbours or current tenants. Ask who owns the house and whether the room has been "rented" recently. People in the compound usually know.
5. Test the keys yourself before paying, and ask whether anyone else has a set.
6. Search the photos and the number. Do a reverse image search on the listing photos and check the phone number on TrustCheck. Scammers reuse both.
7. Get a written tenancy agreement signed by the landlord, with the rent, the advance period, and both parties' ID details. For monthly tenancies, ask for a rent card.

How to pay rent safely

• Pay the landlord, not a middleman, and preferably by bank transfer to an account in the landlord's own name.
• If you must use MoMo, check that the registered name on the wallet matches the landlord's Ghana Card before you confirm.
• Avoid paying large sums in cash. If you do, get a signed, dated receipt with a witness.
• Keep every message, receipt, photo and screenshot.

Red flags that a rental is fake

• Price far below the area average.
• Pressure: "Three people are coming this evening, pay now to secure it."
• Payment before viewing, or a refusal to let you meet the owner.
• The "agent" will not give a full name, office or licence number.
• The same photos appear under different names or locations.
• MoMo wallet name does not match the person you are dealing with.

Buying furniture or appliances for the new place on Jiji? Read our Jiji safety guide too.

Already paid a fake landlord or agent?

1. Report to the police at the station nearest the property, with all your evidence: messages, receipts, MoMo transaction IDs, photos of the person if you have them.
2. Call your MoMo network or bank immediately (100 on MTN, Telecel and AT) and ask them to block the receiving wallet or account.
3. Report to the Rent Control Department if a landlord took more than six months' advance or refused a receipt, and to the Real Estate Agency Council if the agent is unlicensed.
4. Report online fraud to the Cyber Security Authority by calling or texting 292.
5. Warn others. Report the number or page on TrustCheck so the next house-hunter sees it. Our guide on how to report a scam in Ghana lists every channel.