Housing arrangements in The Gambia differ sharply between Greater Banjul and other urban areas, regional towns and rural communities. A household may rent a room in a compound, share water, toilets or a courtyard, occupy a family home, or use a detached house, apartment, bedsitter or studio. Homes may be furnished or unfurnished. Rural housing often has different building types and service access from urban housing. Land and housing access commonly involve freehold, leasehold or customary tenure. Freehold is continuing ownership subject to planning and environmental rules. Leasehold grants possession for a defined period, commonly between 21 and 99 years. A deemed lease records possession without giving the holder a formal legal title. Customary access may involve local trusteeship, family rights, inheritance, gifting, sale or rental under local practice. A local paper from an Alkalo, traditional authority, area council, municipal council or city council can provide useful evidence, but it is not automatically a nationally registered title. For a purchase or long lease, check the seller's authority, the land boundaries, the tenure, registered deeds or leases, encumbrances, tax or rate receipts, planning compliance and any competing claims. The Department of Lands and Surveys handles surveying, cadastral information, valuation and lease preparation or allocation. The Deeds Registry records formal instruments under the land-registration framework. Local councils, Alkalo or traditional authorities and the Ministry of Lands, Regional Government and Religious Affairs may also have relevant roles. A boundary survey and formal registration provide stronger protection than relying on a local transfer paper alone. A written tenancy agreement should identify the landlord and tenant, the exact room or premises, the term, rent, deposit or advance, utilities, repairs, permitted occupants, subletting, alterations and termination. Keep signed receipts and copies of the agreement. Check water, electricity, sanitation, ventilation, locks, the roof, drainage and flood exposure before taking possession. Confirm that an agent has authority to act for the owner. Estate agency in The Gambia exists through both formal and informal channels, so the agent's identity and authority should be verified. The Rent Act 2014 remains the current parliamentary framework, with amendments recorded in 2017 and 2024, but implementation arrangements remain inadequate. The 2025 Rent and Tenancy Bill was validated for Cabinet consideration and should not be treated as current law. Proposed agent licensing, minimum habitability standards and a Rent and Tenancy Commission therefore do not replace verification of the current Act, the agreement and the available Judiciary process. Keep records of rent, notices, defects, access incidents and repair requests. Non-Gambian residents need to separate lawful residence from housing rights. Resident Permit A covers residence without gainful employment, while Resident Permit B covers residence with work. Identity, passport, immigration-status and, where required, embassy-attested documents may be relevant to a transaction. The State Lands framework and policy materials commonly describe residential deemed leases of 21 years for non-Gambians and 99 years for Gambians, but transaction-specific current law must be checked. Restrictions may include designated coastal areas within 1.5 kilometres of the high-water mark and a maximum area of 2,500 square metres per city, town or village. The SSHFC housing programme states that a non-Gambian may purchase complete housing units and refers to an additional 20% levy; confirm the current transaction conditions before paying. The SSHFC Housing Finance Fund offers an affordable-housing or mortgage pathway, not a universal entitlement. Typical eligibility conditions include Gambian nationality, no other landed property in the Greater Banjul or Brikama area, proof of a deposit and evidence of repayment capacity. Architectural plans require approval, and a financed plot house is expected to be fit for occupation within three years. Full repayment leads to assignment of the sub-lease. Customary land is generally not accepted as bank collateral, although a microfinance provider may accept deemed leasehold supported by an ownership certificate. Construction or major alteration requires proper planning. The Department of Physical Planning and Housing handles housing development, planning permits and development control, while planning authorities operate in Banjul, Kanifing Municipality and each region. Obtain the development permit and approved plans, keep the plans on site and check zoning, road or service reservations, wetlands, waterways and disaster hotspots. An Alkalo or council transfer does not by itself authorize construction. Unplanned settlements and weak infrastructure can increase flooding, fire, structural and eviction or resettlement risks. NAWEC is The Gambia's electricity, water and sewerage utility. A new connection normally requires proof of ownership or occupancy, such as a title deed, Alkalo transfer, local-authority transfer or rate receipt, together with identification, a location sketch, the nearest pole and a non-refundable D500 processing fee. Standard connection distances are up to 45 metres from a low-voltage electricity point and up to 150 metres from a water main. Longer connections may require an extension at private cost or a wait for network expansion. Prepaid meters are progressively replacing postpaid meters, so a tenancy agreement should state who opens the account, pays charges and handles the meter. Report a utility fault or billing problem to NAWEC first. If it is unresolved, contact PURA Consumer Affairs on toll-free 148. A complaint should include the account or meter number, provider, contact details, bills, receipts and earlier correspondence. PURA's 2026 regulations require written notice before vacancy or disposal; a 10-working-day period is relevant to meter reading and disconnection liability. An unpaid final bill may transfer to another account. Take a final meter reading or photograph and obtain written clearance when leaving. During occupancy, preserve the agreement, receipts, utility statements and inspection photographs. Pay the agreed rent and utilities, report defects promptly and do not make structural changes or sublet without written consent. On exit, follow the contractual or applicable statutory notice, arrange a joint inspection, hand over the keys, record the deposit accounting, notify NAWEC, take the final reading and provide a forwarding address. Ownership transfers require the Department of Lands and Surveys, the Deeds Registry or a qualified legal professional; customary transfers may also require the relevant local or traditional process. The 2013 benchmark recorded average household size at 8.5 people, with 58.5% of households owning, 31.9% renting and 9.5% occupying rent-free housing. Older 2015/16 survey data showed a strong urban-rural contrast, but these figures are not a current market measure. The 2024 population and housing census preliminary report confirms new housing and household data, while a current detailed tenure split should not be inferred from the older figures. No national universal housing-benefit equivalent is evidenced. Housing choices should therefore be assessed through the actual agreement, tenure evidence, service access, payment capacity, planning status and physical safety of the particular property.
Housing in Gambia
Housing in The Gambia includes rooms in compounds, family or customary compounds, detached and semi-detached houses, apartments, bedsitters and studios. Urban renting combines formal agreements with informal arrangements, while rural access often depends on family or community ties. The main risks concern unclear tenure, weak documentation, unreliable services, flooding and agreements that do not state rent, responsibilities or termination conditions.
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