In 2020, a soon-to-be landlady invested her retirement savings into renovating a traditional Ghanaian house, transforming it into a modern home. The property featured a spacious compound with ample parking, making it an attractive rental option.
Once the renovation was complete, the search for a tenant began in early 2021. Eventually, a tenant expressed interest, stating that the home would serve as both his residence and a hosting place for his business partners, giving no indication it will be commercialized. Many of whom were foreigners visiting the country.Ecstatic to have secured a tenant, the landlady was relieved that her investment would start generating returns. However, within the first few months, her daughter began noticing subtle but significant changes to the property. The tenant had repainted the house and even torn down the gazebo. When they raised these concerns, the tenant reassured them that the modifications were beneficial to them as well. Eager to see their investment pay off, they allowed some flexibility, giving the tenant more leeway than they initially intended.
Things soon took a turn for the worse. The tenant’s security guards were instructed to bar them from entering the premises. He began paying only a fraction of the rent, and at one point, he even kept them waiting outside a bank for over four hours, promising to settle his dues, only to never show up. Meanwhile, neighbors started complaining about noise coming from the compound, raising further suspicions.
The shocking truth came to light in the most unexpected way. One evening, the landlady’s daughter was invited by a friend to the soft launch of a new local bistro. To her disbelief, she arrived at her mother’s rental property. The entire place had been transformed: private suites, a swimming pool, an outdoor kitchen. The home was no longer just a residence; it had been secretly converted into a high-end bistro called Chez-Toi. The irony of the name was unmistakable—Chez-Toi meant "your home."
As the reality sank in, a new fear emerged. If the tenant remained in possession for the full five-year lease, he could potentially claim ownership, citing the extensive investments he had made. Determined to reclaim the property, the landlady took him to court. However, he blatantly ignored the court order and failed to appear in court. With legal intervention, authorities eventually arrived at the property, forcing the tenant to vacate. But the damage was done. He left behind a trail of destruction: chipped tiles, a swimming pool filled with sand and covered with tiles, missing electrical sockets, and plasterboards that had altered the structure of the space. He had even rewired the entire property, leaving it in a hazardous state.
What was once a dream investment had turned into a costly nightmare.One that underscored the dire need for transparent and professional property management to protect landlords from deception, loss, and legal battles.
