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Section – 2 – Rent Commissioner.
- There may be appointed for the purposes of this Act a Rent Commissioner, who shall subject to the general or special directions of the Minister, be charged with the responsibility of the general administration of the Act.
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Section – 3 – Officers.
- (1) There shall be appointed for the purposes of this Act-(a) a Chief Rent Officer for Ghana;(b) Principal Rent Officers for areas;(c) Senior Rent Officers for areas;(d) Rent Officers for areas;(e) Senior Assistant Rent Officers for areas;(f) Assistant Rent Officers for areas; and(g) such other employees as may be prescribed.(2) The officers specified in paragraphs (b) to (f) of subsection (1) of this section shall be competent to discharge the functions assigned to them under the Act only in relation to the areas for which they are appointed.
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Section – 4 – Continuance In Service Of Existing Officers.
- Notwithstanding the repeal of the Rent Control Ordinance, 1952 (No. 2), every officer appointed under that Ordinance and in service immediately before the commencement of this Act shall be deemed to be an officer appointed for the purposes of this Act; and for calculating any pension, gratuity or other allowance to which he may be eligible, his service shall be deemed to have commenced on the date he was appointed for the purposes of the said Ordinance.
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Section – 5 – Functions Of Appropriate Rent Officers.
- (1) Subject to the other provisions of this Act, the appropriate Rent Officer may discharge all, or any of, the following functions:-(a) may assess the recoverable rent of any premises (whether or not such premises are occupied) on an application made by any landlord, tenant or person interested in the premises, after such enquiry as he may think fit;(b) shall investigate, in such manner as he may think fit, complaints by a landlord against a tenant in respect of arrears of rent and complaints by a landlord, tenant or person interested in the premises against any other person in respect of any other matter mentioned in this Act and shall make a determination thereon;(c) shall investigate and determine any matter relating to this Act referred to him by the Minister or a Rent Magistrate in such manner as he may think fit;(d) shall prepare rent registers and other prescribed documents and specify therein the prescribed particulars;(e) shall maintain a register of vacant premises for prospective clients and on application made by any such client, shall furnish information concerning such premises;(f) may examine any landlord, tenant or other person for the purpose of ascertaining whether the provisions of this Act or of any statutory instrument made thereunder are being observed;(g) may take measures against tenants who have absconded from the premises and may, for that purpose, force open the doors of, and search, any premises under the authority of an order made by the appropriate Rent Magistrate;(h) may make complaints to the appropriate Rent Magistrate that an offence under this Act has been committed for the purpose of investigation and determination by him and may conduct the prosecution of the offender before the Magistrate, so, however, that a public prosecutor appointed generally may intervene and assume the conduct of such prosecution; and(i) shall discharge such other functions for the purpose of carrying out the principles of this Act as the Minister may direct or as may be prescribed.(2) The appropriate Rent Officer discharging any functions under this Act may exercise all, or any of, the following powers:-(a) may require the attendance of parties and witnesses and may examine them on oath or otherwise;(b) may require the discovery, inspection and production of documents;(c) may enter and view, or order the inspection of, any premises under consideration by such officer;(d) may call in one or more assessors or experts to assist in the determination of any matter, the subject of consideration by such officer;(e) may require any landlord of premises within the area for which such officer was appointed to furnish any information which he may require for discharging his functions under this Act; and(f) shall make any person, known to him as interested in securing any unoccupied premises for rent, a party to any enquiry held for assessing the recoverable rent of such premises.(3) The appropriate Rent Officer may take into consideration any matter which he considers relevant and give weight to such matter as he may think fit, notwithstanding that such matter is not admissible under the law relating to evidence.(4) Except as otherwise provided by or under this Act, the appropriate Rent Officer shall not be able to alter any of the conditions of the tenancy other than the amount of recoverable rent.
Full Read: Rent Act-1963 (Act 220)