By: Cynthia Soita
I remember my first house.
My grand entrance suggested someone of status had arrived. After all, my belongings were being transported in style — on a handcart.
The cart wobbled forward through the road like a reluctant parade float. Every few metres something slipped off and landed on the ground. I had to trail closely behind, not just to rescue fallen items, but to make sure the mkokoteni operator — the cart owner — did not suddenly discover a faster destination than mine.
Then the apartments appeared.
“Apartment” may be a generous description. The walls looked like they had hosted several military rehearsals, dotted with holes and cracks that gave the impression that World War III had passed through and left politely.
The houses were the famous I face you, you face me arrangement — neighbours positioned so close that privacy was less of a right and more of a rumour. Every movement echoed across the corridor. Every disagreement travelled faster than the Wi-Fi.
Standing there, one quiet question lingered.
In places like this, are tenants’ rights something you practise — or something you simply read about?
Of course, rental tensions are not limited to modest neighbourhoods. From tightly packed estates to polished apartment blocks in Nairobi, tenants often encounter the same frustrations — only packaged differently.
And across Kenya, certain complaints appear again and again whenever tenants talk about landlords.
Few things feel as humiliating as discovering that electricity or water has been cut off to force rent payment.
Some landlords resort to this tactic when rent delays occur, turning basic services into bargaining tools.
Beyond the discomfort, it often creates safety risks — especially in shared compounds.
How to avoid this
Before moving in, confirm:
Who controls the utilities
Whether meters are shared or individual
Whether disconnections can occur without formal notice
Clarity protects both parties from unnecessary escalation.
The leaking sink that never gets fixed.
The broken lock that remains “under consideration.”
Delayed maintenance is one of the most common frustrations tenants report.
Over time, small issues grow into larger structural problems that affect daily life.
How to avoid this
Inspect the property carefully before moving in and ensure that the tenancy agreement clearly outlines who handles repairs and how quickly they should be addressed.
A house that was affordable at the beginning of the year may suddenly become difficult to sustain.
Unexpected rent adjustments can disrupt financial planning, especially when tenants receive little notice.
How to avoid this
Discuss rent review timelines early and request advance communication if adjustments are expected.
Predictability helps maintain a stable rental relationship.
Sometimes conflict does not arise from hostility but from assumptions.
A tenant assumes visitors are allowed freely.
The landlord assumes visitors should be limited.
A tenant installs internet cables.
The landlord later objects.
These quiet misunderstandings can easily grow into disputes.
How to avoid this
Before moving in, discuss practical details openly:
Visitor policies
Internet installation
Parking arrangements
Use of shared spaces
When expectations are clear from the beginning, misunderstandings rarely escalate.
Moving out peacefully does not always guarantee the return of a deposit.
Tenants often wait months — or never receive it at all.
How to avoid this
Take photos when moving in and when leaving the property.
Request a written inspection report confirming the house condition.
Documentation protects both parties.
Unannounced visits can leave tenants feeling watched rather than respected.
A home should feel private, even when it is rented.
How to avoid this
Agree on inspection procedures before signing the lease, including reasonable notice before any visit.
In many compounds, caretakers gradually become the visible authority.
Sometimes this works smoothly. Other times, it creates tension when instructions from caretakers conflict with those of the landlord.
Tenants may feel caught between two centres of authority.
How to avoid this
Always confirm who the final decision-maker is — the landlord, property manager, or caretaker.
Clarity prevents unnecessary power struggles.
Broken gates.
Dim corridors.
Strangers walking freely through the compound.
Security issues quickly transform a house from shelter into worry.
How to avoid this
Visit the property at different times of day and ask existing tenants about security conditions.
A secure environment is not a luxury — it is a necessity.
Shared water or electricity meters sometimes create confusion.
Bills appear unexpectedly high, yet no one can explain how the numbers were calculated.
This uncertainty easily leads to suspicion and conflict.
How to avoid this
Request regular meter readings or clear billing breakdowns so that costs remain transparent.
Life occasionally interrupts financial plans.
But when rent delays occur, some landlords escalate the situation quickly through threats, aggressive reminders, or pressure from agents.
The house begins to feel less like a home and more like a courtroom.
How to avoid this
Discuss payment timelines and grace periods early. A rental relationship works best when communication remains open during difficult moments.
Rental disputes rarely begin dramatically.
More often, they grow quietly from small frustrations that were never resolved.
In many cases, the situation becomes worse when too many intermediaries manage the relationship — agents, caretakers, or managers who enforce rules but carry none of the emotional investment of the property owner.
A landlord understands that a house may be someone’s home for years.
Intermediaries sometimes treat it only as a transaction.
And that difference often determines whether tenants feel respected or merely tolerated.
Among the many frustrations tenants report, the one that often causes the deepest resentment is not the leaking sink or even the sudden rent increase. It is the presence of too many intermediaries standing between the tenant and the landlord.
Caretakers who enforce rules they did not create.
Agents who appear only when rent is due.
Managers who treat every disagreement like a disciplinary case.
In such arrangements, the tenant rarely speaks to the person who actually owns the house.
From experience, the most difficult situations rarely involve landlords themselves. When tenants deal directly with the property owner, there is usually room for patience, conversation, and sometimes empathy.
Intermediaries, however, operate differently. A caretaker or agent is often protecting authority rather than the relationship between tenant and home. What begins as property management slowly turns into unnecessary tension.
That is why many tenants quietly prefer dealing directly with landlords — not because landlords are always perfect, but because they have the most to lose when a house becomes unlivable.
And perhaps that is the deeper issue beneath most rental complaints.
A house may be an investment for the owner.
But for the tenant, it is daily life.
So when problems arise in a rental compound, the real question may not be about the house at all, but about this: who is actually responsible for protecting the relationship between the place and the person living in it?
Can landlords disconnect utilities because of rent arrears in Kenya?
Utility disconnections are generally discouraged as a method of enforcing rent payment. Tenants should review their lease agreement and seek legal advice if this occurs.
What should tenants document when moving into a rental house?
Photos, written inspection reports, and communication with the landlord help establish the condition of the property and prevent disputes later.
Is it better to deal directly with the landlord or through a caretaker?
This depends on the management structure of the property, but knowing who makes final decisions helps tenants avoid confusion when issues arise.
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