Owning a home, rental or plot in Kenya while living abroad is common, and so is the worry that comes with it. You depend on what others tell you. The fix is not more phone calls but a routine that produces evidence.
1. Keep your own records
- Title deed, sale agreement and land rates receipts: keep certified copies outside Kenya too.
- A photo record of every room and the compound, dated, so you can compare later.
- A list of who holds keys, and when they last changed hands.
2. Set a visit routine
Decide how often someone independent should check the property: every month for a tenanted or occupied home, every three months for vacant land or a locked house. Each visit should produce photos, notes on anything that changed, and meter readings.
3. Separate the people who do the work from the people who check it
The caretaker or contractor should not be the only one reporting on their own work. An independent inspection gives you a second view before you pay.
4. Approve money in writing
Ask for a written quotation with photos before any repair, and pay against completed work you have seen, not against promises.
5. Watch the bills
Water and electricity bills that jump with nobody living there can mean a leak, a fault or unauthorised occupation.
Nyumbix Watch does this for you, with a Health Score and photo reports. See Watch plans →