Making the decision to rent a piece of property for your personal use can be a daunting task. There are some common rent myths in Ghana that makes this process even more stressful. You have a lot of variables to consider including security, proximity to amenities and of course the actual cost of rent. The entire process can be pretty overwhelming. Luckily for you, we’re here to debunk some of these common rent myths in Ghana and to make the rental experience a lot friendlier for you.

1. You’re throwing money away

A very common rent myth in Ghana is the perception that you’re throwing money away by renting. For many people, the idea of paying rent is synonyms to throwing your money away every month. The reasoning behind this perception is that you don’t own the property that you are paying for. The thing most people don’t consider is that not everyone needs to own property. If you have a healthy stream of income that allows you to comfortably pay rent every month, there is really no reason to waste time and resources trying to build or buy property.

Renting allows you to change residences whenever you become tired of your current living place. You enjoy the flexibility of moving whenever you please as your income levels increase and your taste in property changes. When you buy or build a house, you are stuck with it forever unless you are able to sell and buy or build a new one. For some people renting really is the most reasonable option for a living space. Luckily for you, there are lots of houses for rent in Accra.

2. You have no negotiating power

Another common rent myth in Ghana is that the landlord has all the power in the relationship and the tenant is in a position of disadvantage. This is actually quite untrue. The landlord needs you, the tenant, just as much if not more than you need them. You should not be afraid to enter into negotiations with the landlord if you feel the terms of your agreement needs to be changed.

So long as you are reasonable, you should be able to bargain with your landlord until you have a fair rent price and conditions of stay. In Ghana, there are many landlords with apartments for rent in Accra and beyond looking for responsible, dependable tenants. If you meet their requirements, you will have just as much bargaining power as the landlord when it comes to negotiations.

3. It’s difficult to get out of a lease

Another common misconception about renting is that it’s hard to get out of a lease. Yes, leases are legally binding contracts and you want to be careful about how you get out of them but getting out of a lease is not impossible. For one thing, you might choose to sublet your place to another person before the term of your lease expires. You have to check with your landlord, of course, that is an acceptable option in your lease. In a communal society like Ghana particularly, you may even get out of your lease through a simple agreement with your landlord. You should definitely be open to paying a small fee for this benefit though.

4. Your landlord can enter your property anytime.

This is the biggest misconception about rent that many people have. As a tenant, you have many rights to the property that you are renting. For one thing, you have the right to quiet enjoyment of your rental. This means that your landlord cannot interfere with your possessory interest in the property you are renting. In simple terms, the landlord has to respect your privacy. Your landlord can not enter your property as and when he or she pleases without probable cause or without your permission. You are fully within your rights to sue your landlord for trespass if he or she enters your property without your consent or reasonable cause.

So there you have it! These are some common rent myths in Ghana. Hopefully, this article eases some of your worries about renting property and gives you the peace of mind needed for a successful renting experience.