Before anyone can make the important decision of renting a house or an apartment, it is important they meet up with the landlord and ask these critical questions.

There are real estate agents in Ghana who can link you with these properties but the best thing to do is to arrange for a meeting with the landlords to ask them these important questions:

1.    Are you the real owner of the property?

In Ghana, people may be caretakers of properties while the real owners may be abroad. It will be better if you asked politely if the people handing you the properties are the real landlords. This would clarify if they will be the ones taking any decision concerning the property and how long that would take.

2.    Who are my co-tenants?

You do not want to move into a property where you have no idea who your co-tenants or neighbours would be. Since the landlord is one of the first people you may interact with, you should find out from them who will be living next door, their occupation, whether they have children or not. All these would guide you on whether you should take the property the property or not.

3.    Is there a tenancy agreement?

This contains all the rights and the privileges of both the landlord and you. It also includes the property address, the rental charges, payment mode, tenancy duration and the obligations of both the landlord and the tenant. It is important you go through that with the landlord before you go for the property.

4.    Can I renovate the property?

Some property owners may not want you to add anything new or take out anything from the structure. It is important to seek their permission before you tear down or add something to the property. Even before you decide to paint the property, seek their consent before you go ahead.

5.    Can I inspect the property?

This might sound a little funny, but a number of people renting properties do not take time to inspect it before renting. One of the first things to do before searching for a property is to create a checklist with regards to what you would like in house. This would make your search and later, inspection easier.

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