House to Let in Nairobi: Houses, Maisonettes, Bungalows

What counts as a house to let in Nairobi?

In Nairobi, "house to let" usually means a whole dwelling with its own entrance: a bungalow, a maisonette (two floors), or a standalone house in a compound. It differs from a flat, where you share stairs and common areas with other tenants. Many adverts use "house" loosely for flats, so check the photos and ask whether the building has other tenants. For flats, see studio and 1 bedroom apartments and furnished apartments.

Where does Nairobi still have standalone houses?

Wikipedia describes Karen, south-west of the CBD beside Ngong Forest, as a residential area of large houses, tree cover and low-density zoning, with minimum acreage requirements for residential development. Read our Karen page. It says Kileleshwa was historically low density with leafy bungalows, though high-rise flats have mushroomed and some bungalows now house restaurants. By contrast, Westlands is described as a significant apartment market, so standalone houses are rarer there.

We have not verified house stock in Lavington, Runda, Ruiru or Kitengela, so we do not describe them here. See the Nairobi estate guide for the estates we cover.

How much is a house to let in Nairobi?

We cannot give a sourced rent band for 1, 2 or 3 bedroom houses. As of November 2026 Land & Property has no Nairobi rental listings, and the public indices we found track sale prices rather than rent. Collect at least five adverts for the same estate and bedroom count, drop the highest and lowest, and compare the rest. Add the costs adverts often leave out, such as security, water and garbage collection.

How do to-let boards, caretakers and agents work?

A to-let board on a gate usually gives a phone number for the owner, a caretaker or an agent. It is not proof that the person who answers may let the house. Ask who owns it, ask for the owner's written instruction to the agent, and meet the owner or an advocate before you pay.

On agent fees, Citizen Digital reports that the Estate Agents Act sets a scale: one month's rent for residential lettings of more than one year, and 7.5% of annual gross rent for lettings under a year. It also says landlords often pay the agent for agency work. Confirm with the Estate Agents Registration Board, and read how to choose an estate agent in Nairobi. We found no source that allows a viewing fee, and Kenyans.co.ke lists viewing fees among scam patterns.

What should a Kenyan tenancy agreement include?

Take a lawyer's advice for your case. As a checklist, a written agreement should name the landlord and tenant, give the full address, state the rent and when it is due, set out the deposit and when it is refunded, say who pays water, power and security, set the notice each side must give, and list the condition of the house with photos. Our guide to tenant rights in Kenya covers deposits, notice and eviction.

Landlords should know that the Kenya Revenue Authority states monthly rental income tax on residential rent at 7.5% of gross rent from 1 January 2024, for annual rent above KES 280,000 and up to KES 15 million, due by the 20th of the following month (as of November 2026).

Should I rent first or buy?

Some tenants want to own the home later. Read rent to own in Nairobi and apartments for sale in Nairobi. For cheaper options, see bedsitters. Ugandan readers can compare with rentals in Uganda and our Kenya guide.

Frequently asked questions

Related guides

• Houses and Apartments for Rent in Nairobi by Estate
• Houses for Rent in Karen, Nairobi
• Tenant Rights in Kenya: Deposits, Notice, Eviction
• Estate Agents and Brokers in Nairobi: How to Choose One
• Rent to Own Houses in Nairobi: How It Works
• Bedsitters for Rent in Nairobi: Areas, Rent and Checks