A total of 238 Landlords and Landladies reported Tenants to the Rent Control Department in Asamankese in the West Akyem Municipality of the Eastern Region from January to December 2020.
The cases included Rent Arrears, absconded, electricity issues, a refund of rent, advance, inducement, ejectment, squatter, Recovery possession, Nuisance, and others.
According to Mr. Justice Cudjoe, a Principal Executive Rent Control Department in Asamankese Office, 59 Tenants also reported Landlords and Landladies to the Office in Asamankese which is currently serving people in West Akyem, Suhum, Kwaebibirem, and Denkyembour District respectively.
He said the Department received 297 complaints from Landlords and Tenants and they were able to settle 232 and 10 cases were referred to court while 18 others were struck off over lack of cooperation from the complainants and defendants.
Giving the breakdown, Mr. Justice Cudjoe said most of the cases came from West Akyem Municipality due to the location of their office in Asamankese, adding, West Akyem Municipal recorded 204 cases from Landlords and 49 from Tenants, Landlords from Suhum were 10, against two tenants, Landlords from Denkyembour were 14 and tenants were 4, Landlords from Kwaebibirem were 10 and tenants were four respectively.
Mr. Justice Cudjoe said 37 cases that were not settled in 2020 will be dealt with in 2021 and said issues relating to Electricity bills and ejectment were leading the cases in 2020.
Rent Manager in charge of the above Districts and Municipal, Mr. Atta Elorm thanked the Government for supporting the Department with officials from Nation Builders Cop and attributed the Pandemic COVID-19 as the main setback for 2020.
He called on the people in the four Districts to report their cases to the Rent Control Department for settlement and stop taking the laws into their hands by violating the right of tenants and Landlords.
Source: Mybrytfmonline/Kofi Atakora
