The Ministry of Works and Housing has said a new bill to be presented to Parliament will require real estate agents to pay tax on the commission they earn from helping clients secure accommodation.
Speaking at the meet the press series, Works and Housing Minister Samuel Atta Akyea said the operations of the real estate agents will be regulated to protect the public from paying exorbitant fees to those agents.
“These agents don’t pay tax and they can rip you off. We are trying to deal with it through the Real Estate Law and in it, all real estate agents would have to be registered. And they have to divulge their commission for tax purposes to increase the revenue base of the country.”
The Minister also assured that the Rent Act is being revised to safeguard vulnerable tenants. He, however, expressed the government’s commitment towards bridging the housing deficit which is the fundamental cause of the high cost of rent in the country.
