Renting a room in Ghana can be very different than renting a room in your home country. It's important to know the basics of how things work and what to look out for before you commit to moving into another person's home. This guide will go over some basic information on renting rooms and apartments as well as give you tips on finding a place, settling into it, and maintaining good relations with your landlord or landlady. Knowing this information will help ensure that your stay goes smoothly!
Description: A blog post giving an overview of everything one needs to know about renting rooms when living abroad in Ghana. The post includes topics such as where to find places, how much rent should cost, who pays for utilities, etc.
Renting a room in Ghana is quite different from renting a room in your home country. As an example, you might not think you need insurance or a bond, but you might end up needing those things if things go wrong.
In Ghana, renting a room is quite common, and can be used as a stepping stone to becoming a full-time adult. You will spend most of your time living with a host family or with a close friend. A key difference between a home you rent in Ghana and one you rent in the United States is that Ghanaian homes are occupied by multiple families or individuals. When you move into your home, you will live with your host family for three to four months while working on your English language skills.
When renting out rooms in Ghana, the process begins when you first move into the new home. You then need to fill out an application with the landlord and write up a contract outlining the terms of your tenancy. You can choose to pay your rent in cash up front or in full at the beginning of your tenancy agreement. Once the contract is complete, the landlord must inspect the home and provide a reference to the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as well as one to the National Housing Authority to assure the home is habitable. After the landlord does this, you will be issued a residential lease as a form of proof of your home's viability. This will include the lease's contact details and the address of your home, and you must take this to the local Registry of Births and Deaths.
Renting a place to live in Ghana takes a little bit of effort, especially if you're renting for the first time. It's important to know your rights and follow the rules. If you're not familiar with the process, you may not have an idea of what you're supposed to do or what to expect. In order to find a place to rent, you may want to consider using this guide or one of these other resources:
Finding a Hostel in Ghana
Finding a place to stay at a hostel can be a great option for those travelling for a short period of time, but it does require some planning. Hostels are normally on a party or dorm basis. If you want to get a room of your own, you'll have to pay a small amount of money per night or per person.
In addition to the payment, it's important to think about your accommodations.
Even though you're not in the house where you usually stay, it's still important to settle into your new room or apartment before you make any big changes. Often times people will stay in a foreign country without being able to make any permanent adjustments, and then when they go home, they realize it was all a mistake to move away in the first place.
This is a common problem faced by people who do not know any other way to live and make any sort of long-term commitments. This is also why a lot of Ghanaians live with their parents and continue to live there once they return to the country because their parents make it feel like home.
If you choose to rent a room from a friend or family member, it is important to establish some trust before staying in the house.
