Kumasi, March 2, GNA - Landlords have been advised against demanding exorbitant rent advances and charging arbitrary rents. They should also ensure good relationships with their tenants and conform to the Rent Control Office directives regarding the ejection of tenants from their homes.

Mr Francis Ampadu, Assemblyman for Tafo Ahenbronum, gave the advice when addressing members of the Tafo branch of the Landlords Association at a meeting in Kumasi on Monday.

He said there was the need for mutual respect between the tenant and the landlord since renting out houses was a sort of business transaction whereby the tenants needed a place of abode while the landlord also needed money.

The landlord must therefore not look down upon the tenant and the tenant must also show respect to the landlord for peaceful co-existence. He noted that the area had for a long time lagged behind in the provision of infrastructure facilities including tarred roads, streetlights and water.

Mr Ampadu attributed this to the lack of co-ordination and co-operation between stakeholders in the area and appealed to them to contribute meaningfully towards the development of the area.

The Assemblyman stressed the need for the people to pay their property and basic rates promptly to the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) to improve the revenue base of the Assembly to support its developmental efforts.

Mr Ampadu advised them to eschew negative tendencies that militated against development programmes and gear their efforts towards the face lift of the area.