Estate Agents and Brokers in Nairobi: How to Choose One

Updated 3 November 2026 · Land & Property editorial team

To check a Nairobi estate agent, ask for their Estate Agents Registration Board (EARB) registration and confirm it with the board before you pay anything. EARB registers individual agents, who must be Kenyan citizens, and firms. A real agent will not push you to pay a viewing or reservation fee before you have seen the unit. As of November 2026, this is how to check one.

Individual fees (EARB): Registration KES 10,000, practising certificate KES 7,000 a year, plus KES 2,000 application and KES 5,000 interview fees
Who can register as an individual: Kenyan citizens only (EARB)
Unregistered agents, 2019 EARB survey: More than 40,000 (Business Daily)
Land & Property Nairobi listings, Nov 2026: None yet

How do I check if a Nairobi estate agent is registered?

The Estate Agents Act (Cap 533) governs estate agents in Kenya, and the Estate Agents Registration Board (EARB) registers them. Citizen Digital advises checking that the agent appears on EARB's list of registered agents, which is published in the Kenya Gazette and other media, and notes that the list also names agents who have been struck off. A name on an old list is therefore not enough.

EARB's own registration page says successful applicants receive a registration certificate and a unique registration number. It does not describe a public online lookup, so the safest route is to ask the agent for the number and certificate, then confirm both with the board directly. Our guide to checking a Kenyan agent is registered gives the steps. This is general information, not legal advice.

What does registration prove, and what does it not?

Registration shows that the board accepted the person or firm. For individuals, EARB asks for at least a KCSE certificate, two years of experience, a recommendation from a registered agent and a certificate of good conduct from the DCI. Firms must also show professional indemnity insurance of at least KES 200,000 and a KRA PIN with tax compliance.

It does not prove that a particular house exists, that the person in front of you may let it, or that the price is fair. Always ask for proof that the agent acts for the owner, such as a written instruction, and view the unit yourself.

What fees do Nairobi agents charge?

Citizen Digital reports that the Estate Agents Act sets a scale. For residential lettings of more than one year the fee is one month's rent. For residential lettings of less than one year it is 7.5% of annual gross rent. The same report says the landlord often pays the agent for agency work, and that fees may be negotiated but not below half the scale. We have not confirmed the current scale with EARB, so ask the board before agreeing a figure. We do not state a viewing fee because we found no source that sets one.

Letting type	Reported scale
Residential, over one year	One month's rent
Residential, under one year	7.5% of annual gross rent
Commercial sole agency	7.5% of annual gross rent
Commercial general agency	10% of annual gross rent

Source: Citizen Digital, as reported. Confirm with EARB.

What are the common Nairobi agent scams?

Kenyans.co.ke lists the patterns. One is a listing in a prime area priced far too low, where one victim lost KES 12,000 before the agent vanished. Others are people posing as landlords with fake lease agreements, pressure to pay early to hold a unit, and viewing fees. Citizen Digital adds agents who show houses they cannot access, and fees above the legal scale.

Insist on seeing the unit before paying.
Ask who the owner is, and why the agent can let it.
Check the registration before any money moves.
Pay a traceable way and keep the receipt.

Business Daily reported in 2019 that an EARB survey found more than 40,000 unregistered agents, and that the fine then in force for practising without a licence was KES 20,000. The regulator then proposed raising the penalty to as much as KES 1 million. We have not confirmed whether that became law.

How does Land & Property verify Kenyan brokers?

We check identity with a national ID and a live selfie, then ask Kenyan brokers for their EARB registration. A Verified badge shows on their profile. Optional extras, such as an office or phone interview, come later and are paid. Read the full process on how we verify agents. Our verified agents programme began in Uganda, and Nairobi brokers can join as a verified Kenyan broker. Agents list free at launch.

Once brokers list, you will find their homes on the estate pages, such as Kilimani, Westlands, Karen and houses to let. The Nairobi guide covers the whole city.

Can a broker from outside Kenya register with EARB?

EARB's page says individual applicants must be Kenyan citizens. A broker based outside Kenya should therefore not expect to register as an individual with the board, and should take advice from a Kenyan lawyer before offering agency services in Nairobi. Land & Property will explain cross-border referral options on its agent pages once the process is final.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check if an agent is registered in Kenya?

Ask for their EARB registration number and certificate, then confirm both with the Estate Agents Registration Board. Check that the person is not on a struck-off list. Do not pay any fee until you have seen the unit and confirmed the agent acts for the owner.

Who pays the agent fee in Nairobi?

Citizen Digital reports the landlord often pays the agent for agency work, and that the Estate Agents Act sets a scale, such as one month's rent for residential lettings of more than a year. Agree who pays in writing before the agent starts, and check the scale with EARB.

Can brokers list free?

Yes. Agents list free at launch on Land & Property, and later pay to list. Verified-agent plans are a separate paid option. Kenyan brokers still need to pass our identity and selfie check and show their registration.

Is a viewing fee normal in Nairobi?

We found no source that sets a viewing fee. Kenyans.co.ke lists viewing fees among scam patterns, because scammers use them to find people to target. Ask the agent to put any fee in writing and say who it is paid to, or refuse it.

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Sources

EARB: how to register as an estate agent, Estate Agents Registration Board (accessed 2026-11)
How to spot a fake property agent, Citizen Digital (accessed 2026-11)
Most popular house hunting scams to avoid in Nairobi, Kenyans.co.ke (accessed 2026-11)
Regulator proposes Sh1m fine for bogus real estate agents, Business Daily (accessed 2026-11)