By Nelson Manneh
In The Gambia, the relationship between tenants and property owners is regulated by law. The Rent Act was amended in 2024 to improve on the provisions of the law, which was passed in 1996 as Decree number 67. The law provides for the establishment of rent tribunals to ensure compliance by landlords (property owners) and tenants, as well as to monitor the implementation of the provisions of the Act.
The law places an obligation on the Rent Officer to prepare and keep up-to-date a register to register properties and standard rent. The register shall have the name and address of the property owner, date of registration of the property, the amount and the effective date of the rent, the specifications and location of the property, among others. The law limits the powers of the property owners to increase rent fees. It provides that: “A landlord who intends to increase the rent for rental premises shall give the tenant at least three months’ notice in writing of the intention to increase the rent.”
There was an amendment in 2024 to protect tenants from excessive rent increases and unfair eviction practices. The new law limits the requirement to pay an advance payment to only one month. Despite this, the practice of asking for 6 months or more as an advance continues.
High upfront rental costs, such as six-month security deposits, significantly exacerbate homelessness by creating a barrier to entry for low-income individuals and families seeking housing. These large upfront payments, combined with already high rents and limited incomes, can force people into precarious housing situations or even onto the streets. Low-income individuals often struggle to afford even one month’s rent, let alone a large deposit. This financial burden can make it impossible to secure housing, even if they can afford the monthly rent.
Many landlords are unwilling to rent to individuals who cannot provide a large deposit upfront or to those relying on state benefits. This further restricts housing options for vulnerable populations.
“When people are already struggling to make ends meet, a large deposit can make it difficult to manage unexpected expenses, such as job loss or illness. This can lead to missed rent payments and, ultimately, eviction. I wanted a three-room apartment in Bijilo. The Landlord asked me to pay a deposit for six months, and each month was supposed to be D5,500. This is more than exuberant and unaffordable,” Musa Ceesay, a teacher, told this reporter.
Mrs Mariama Jallow, a security officer who lives in Latrikunda Sabaji, said rent in The Gambia is getting more expensive by the day, and the authorities are not doing anything to put an end to it. “I live with my husband in a room and a parlour. Recently, we wanted to look for a three-bedroom apartment, but we found it difficult to secure one.”
Madam Jallow said she saw one in Sukuta, and when she went there, she was asked to pay a deposit for four months. “The landlord said he will be renting the house at D6,500; therefore, the deposit should be D26,000, which is very expensive.”
Fatou Camara, a single mother of three working as a cashier, said she has moved four times in the last five years because of constant rent increases and demands for new deposits. “Each time I move, I have to find three or four months’ rent again. It is exhausting. I can barely pay school fees and feed my children.”
Alagie Sowe, a taxi driver in Bundung, recounted how he had to borrow money from five people to meet the rent deposit demanded by his new landlord. “I was living in a place where the landlord wanted to increase the rent from D3,000 to D5,000. I couldn’t manage. I found another place, but the new landlord asked for D20,000 up front. I had to take out loans to cover it. I am still paying them back.”
Binta Bah, a cleaner in Serrekunda, explained how she was nearly rendered homeless after her landlord told her to vacate the house if she could not pay a five-month deposit. “I cried. I was ready to go back to my village, but a friend helped me. This country is becoming too expensive for poor people.”
The Gambian government has made efforts to regulate rental issues, primarily through the Rent Act. This legislation, including amendments like the 2017 and 2024 reforms, aims to address issues like excessive rent increases and advance payments. The government has also established rent tribunals, initially under the Ministry of Justice and later within the judiciary, to handle disputes between landlords and tenants. However, challenges remain in enforcing these regulations, with some landlords reportedly continuing practices like demanding high upfront payments or increasing rent excessively.
Mr Abdou Fatty, a rental agent who finds apartments for people, said all landlords always demand deposits—three months, four months or even six months. “For me, I am against this decision, but I don’t have the power to stop landlords from doing so. I have dealt with many compound owners, and all they asked for was a deposit. There are only a few who allow tenants to come to their compounds and just pay a deposit of one or two months,” he said.
Mr Fatty said the government should come up with laws to regulate the rental system in The Gambia, otherwise the less privileged will continue to suffer at the mercy of the rich.
“I have seen landlords who are requesting tenants to pay their rental fee in dollars, which to me is not fair. When you go to Bijilo, Kotu, Senegambia, among other areas, landlords give out their apartments in foreign money, which to me is undone,” one Famara Kuyateh, a truck driver, told Foroyaa.
Mr Lamin Fadera, a landlord who has three compounds, said the idea of tenants paying a deposit was because some tenants will stay in your house for more than two months without paying rent and if you asked them, they will say they don’t have money. “Paying six months’ deposit could be a bit exorbitant, but the issue can include unpaid rent, property damage beyond normal wear and tear, or unpaid bills. The deposit acts as a safety net, allowing landlords to cover these costs without significant financial loss, even if the tenant is unable or unwilling to pay.”
As complaints mount and rental prices remain beyond the reach of many ordinary Gambians, the calls for stronger government intervention are growing louder. For now, thousands continue to live in fear of a worsening housing crisis with little help in sight.
