Rental Viewing Checklist for Tenants
Updated 3 November 2026 · Land & Property editorial team
At a viewing, check water, power, drainage, toilets, roof and ceilings for damp, locks, lighting, neighbours and access, then ask for proof the person has the right to let. The Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022 treats water supply, drainage, ventilation and sanitation as tests of a fit home (section 6). Do not pay anything until you have seen the property and have the terms in writing.
- Fitness test in law
- Repair, stability, light, ventilation, water, drainage, toilets, cooking and waste (section 6(3))
- Who may let
- Owner or a person in lawful possession with the right to let, or their authorised agent (section 2)
- Advance rent limit
- Three months unless you agree more (section 24)
- Deposit
- One only, no more than one month's rent (section 30)
What should I check on a house or flat when viewing?
Go in daylight, take your phone for photographs, and take your time. Section 6 of the Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022 gives a legal list for a fit home. It says regard must be had to repair, stability, internal arrangements, natural lighting, ventilation, water supply, drainage, sanitary conveniences, facilities for cooking and the disposal of waste water. Use the same list as your checklist. A defect you spot now is easier to get fixed before you sign than after you have moved in.
| Area | What to look for | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Run every tap and shower, flush every toilet, look under sinks, find the tank and the meter | Supply and drainage are part of the fitness test in section 6(3) |
| Power | Test sockets and switches, look at the meter and the fuse box, ask for a recent bill | Separately metered power is paid by the tenant (section 12) |
| Roof and ceilings | Brown stains, bubbling paint, a musty smell, wet corners | A roof leak is an urgent repair in section 9(2) |
| Walls and floors | Wide cracks, rising damp at the base of walls, loose tiles | Stability and repair are in section 6(3) |
| Windows and ventilation | Do windows open, are there nets, does the kitchen and bathroom get air | Light and ventilation are on the section 6 list |
| Kitchen and toilets | Working sinks, no blocked drains, a door that locks | Sanitary and cooking facilities are on the list |
| Doors, locks and grilles | Solid frames, working locks, a spare key count | A fault that makes the premises unsafe or insecure is an urgent repair (section 9(2)) |
Photograph each room and each defect with the date, and email or message the pictures to the landlord. Ask that existing damage be noted in the agreement. This protects your deposit later; see deposit refund landlord.
How do I check security, the compound and the neighbours?
Visit twice if you can, once in daylight and once after dark. Look at the gate, the fence, the lighting on the access road and where visitors and boda-bodas stop. Ask who the guard works for and whether the gate is staffed all night. Talk to a neighbour or a shopkeeper nearby, and ask about thefts, floods in the rains, noise from bars or workshops, and how long tenants usually stay. Check how you would reach the main road in the rain.
Test the daily trip. Time the journey to work or school in the morning and evening peaks, and check where matatus and boda-bodas pass. If you will have a car, see where it will be parked and whether the compound is shared. Ask about the water supply schedule, the garbage collection and the generator or inverter, and who pays when they break. Under section 46 the landlord may charge a service fee for security, conservancy and sanitation, so ask what is already in the rent. See landlord service fee.
What documents and proof should I ask for?
Ask the person showing the house how they are connected to it. Section 2 of the Act defines a landlord as a person who lets premises, including an authorised agent or a person in lawful possession who has the right to let. So ask whether you are dealing with the owner or an agent, and ask the agent for the written appointment. Section 49(2) says that an agent's particulars and scope of appointment must be in writing and made available to the tenant. If the person cannot show their authority, do not pay.
Then build your file:
- The landlord's or agent's identification. Section 3(5) requires the landlord to see your ID before signing, and you may ask for theirs in return.
- A draft tenancy agreement, in writing, which section 3(2) says should follow the prescribed form with permitted changes. See Tenancy Agreement in Uganda.
- Receipts for every payment, written and showing the amount and the period (section 25), and a receipt for the security deposit (section 30).
- A copy of the signed agreement given to you straight after signing (section 5).
Be careful with a house you have not seen that is listed far below similar ones. Treat any request for a fee to "book" a viewing, or a payment before you enter, as a warning sign. Read How to Avoid Rental Scams in Kampala. Expats and returnees can also read Renting in Kampala as an Expat or Returnee.
What questions should I ask before I sign?
- How much is the rent, in shillings, and how long is the advance? The Act sets a limit of three months in advance for a tenancy of more than one month, unless you agree otherwise (section 24).
- How much is the deposit, and in what cases may any of it be withheld? The Act allows one deposit of up to one month's rent, requires the landlord to say in writing when it may be withheld, and forbids withholding for normal wear and tear (section 30).
- How long is the tenancy, and how much notice must each side give? For a monthly tenancy the Act sets thirty days, and a shorter period in the agreement is void (section 38).
- When and by how much can the rent go up? The Act caps increases at ten percent a year unless the agreement says otherwise, with sixty days' notice (section 26). Ask what the agreement says.
- What does the rent include, and is there a service fee? (section 46)
- Who pays for power and water, and are they separately metered? (sections 12 and 13)
- Who repairs what, and who do I call? (sections 7 to 9; see landlord repairs)
- May I sublet or have a lodger? Section 32 requires the landlord's written consent. See Subletting a Rental in Uganda.
- Is the property for sale? If it is sold while you live in it, ask how your tenancy is protected. See Selling a House With Tenants in It.
Write the answers down. If an answer is "we will see later", ask for it in the agreement. Landlords may also enter to view the state of the premises but, except in an emergency, only after giving twenty-four hours' notice (section 6(4)); ask for that notice in writing.
Should I meet the owner, and what then?
Yes, or at least a person who can prove authority to let. If an agent shows you the house, ask to speak to the owner by phone, and write down the name and number. A landlord who refuses to be named or to give a receipt is a risk. After the viewing, compare at least three places before you choose. Check the price against similar homes through homes to rent now and read about areas such as Apartments for Rent in Bukoto, Kampala or 1 Bedroom Houses and Apartments for Rent in Kampala. Our Nov 2026 listings snapshot contains sale prices, not rents, so we do not quote a rent here.
If you own a place and want to let it, see how to list your rental and read Tax on Rental Income in Uganda so you know your own duties. For the full guide to rules and areas, see houses for rent in Kampala.
Frequently asked questions
What should I check when viewing a house?
Check water at every tap, toilets and drains, power sockets and the meter, the roof and ceilings for damp, cracks, windows, locks, lighting and the compound. Section 6 of the Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022 lists water, drainage, ventilation, light and sanitation as tests of a fit home.
Should I meet the owner?
Yes, or ask for the agent's written authority. The Act defines a landlord as the person who lets, an authorised agent, or a person in lawful possession with the right to let, and section 49 requires an agent's scope to be in writing. Pay nobody who cannot show it.
Can I pay a viewing fee?
Be careful. We found nothing in the Act that requires a tenant to pay to view. Our guide to rental scams covers fake listings that ask for fees or deposits on houses you have not seen. Never pay before seeing the property, and pay only against a written receipt, which section 25 requires for rent.
What documents should I get before moving in?
A signed written tenancy agreement and a copy straight after signing (section 5), receipts for rent and for the one security deposit (sections 25 and 30), and the landlord's or agent's identification. Also keep dated photographs of the condition of each room.
How many months of rent can I be asked to pay upfront?
For a tenancy of more than one month, no more than three months in advance, unless you and the landlord agree otherwise (section 24). You may refuse to pay more. The deposit is separate and capped at one month's rent (section 30).
Sources
- Landlord and Tenant Act, 2022 (Act 9 of 2022), Acts Supplement No. 6, 17 June 2022, Uganda Gazette, as published on ULII (accessed 2026-11)