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The Rent Control Department says apart from cash, a tenant cannot trade anything else for his or her rent.
According to the department, the law only approved cash for the payment of rent and nothing else.
Public Relations Officer, Emmanuel Kporsu made the remarks in response to a question on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5 FM.
He said Section 31 of the Rent Act (Act 220) prevents any form of barter trade between the tenant and the landlord.
He explained that the formulators of the law considered these things, and that was why this was captured in the Rent Law.
“The Rent Law is emphatic and states that we cannot use any other thing in place of money to pay your rent. So to extend this explanation, you cannot engage in a barter trade with your landlord. If you have anything that you would want to give as a barter, then sell it yourself and use the money to pay your rent.
You cannot trade sex as payment for your rent as a woman who has rented from your landlord. You cannot also trade sex with your landlady if you are a man paying for your rent. That is unlawful. Apart from money, you cannot use anything else to pay your rent. So you cannot pay in kind or use any property as barter but can only pay in cash.
Mr. Kporsu stressed that if, as a tenant, you do not have enough money to pay your rent, you can negotiate with the landlord and pay within a period you agree on.
“If you do have money, negotiate with your landlord and agree on a period during which you can pay the rent. Section 17 of the Rent Act states that when you do not pay your rent for a month, the landlord can evict you. So if you are facing any challenges, speak with your landlord, negotiate with him, and if he or she agrees, you pay within an agreed period,” he added.
He said, “This is not a loan system that requires you to have collateral before you get the loan. It is rent, and you can only pay your rent with cash and not in kind, sex, or any other process.”
