What it costs to move in

The three parts

A move-in cost is made up of rent advance, security deposit and any fees. They are listed separately because they behave differently when the tenancy ends.

• Rent advance — rent paid before you occupy. It is not refundable. It buys months of occupation.
• Security deposit — held against damage beyond fair wear and tear. It is refundable at the end of the tenancy, less any agreed deductions.
• Fees — non-refundable processing or platform charges. Listings today carry none, so the total you see is the advance plus the deposit.

Why the total is on the listing

The headline rent is the least useful number on a listing page. A home advertised at GHS 2,500 a month, asking twelve months in advance and two months as a deposit, costs GHS 35,000 to enter.

Every listing itemises the advance and the deposit and then states the total to move in, so you are not doing that arithmetic yourself.

Rent quoted over a longer period

Rent can be quoted monthly, quarterly, every six months, annually or every two years. Before the advance and deposit months are applied, the rent is converted to a monthly figure, so listings on different billing periods can be compared and totalled.

What the total does not include

The figure covers advance, deposit and fees only. Utility connections, prepaid meter credit, furniture, cleaning and moving costs are yours and are not shown.