Property Management Companies in Nairobi: What They Do and How to Choose One

A quick note before you read on

This isn't a ranked "top 20" list of named companies. A list like that goes stale fast and doesn't tell you whether a company is actually right for your specific property. What follows instead is what these companies actually do, what they typically charge, and the questions that will tell you more than any ranking would.

What Property Management Companies in Nairobi Actually Do

Most full-service property management companies cover some or all of:

  • Tenant sourcing and screening — advertising units, vetting applicants, and handling lease signing.
  • Rent collection and remittance — collecting from tenants and paying out to you, usually monthly, minus their fee.
  • Maintenance coordination — handling repair requests and contractor visits.
  • Legal and eviction handling — dealing with defaulting or problem tenants according to Kenyan tenancy law.
  • Reporting — periodic statements on income, expenses, and occupancy.

The value they offer is mostly time and local presence — useful if you live far from the property, or don't want to be the one making the calls when something goes wrong.

Typical Fee Structures

Most property management companies in Kenya charge a percentage of the rent they collect on your behalf, often with separate one-off fees for things like finding a new tenant or handling an eviction. Exact rates vary by company, property type, and how much they're actually doing for you — always get the full fee structure in writing before signing anything, including what happens to fees during a vacancy.

Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Property Management Company

How and when is rent collected and remitted to me? Ask for specifics — method (M-Pesa, bank), and exact timing each month
What reporting do I get, and how often? You should have visibility into your own property, not just their word for it
Do you use software I can also see? A company using its own system you can log into is more transparent than one running everything off spreadsheets they control
Can I speak to a current client as a reference? A legitimate company should have no issue with this
How do I exit the contract if I'm not happy? Know the notice period and any exit fees before you sign, not after

The Alternative: Managing It Yourself With Software

Hiring a company isn't the only way to get out of doing everything manually. Property management software covers most of the same ground — rent collection, reminders, reporting, visitor management, and guard oversight if you have on-site security — without handing over a percentage of your rent or day-to-day control. See our complete guide to property management software in Kenya for what that actually looks like, or our introduction to property management in Kenya if you're still weighing self-managing against hiring someone.

It's also not strictly one-or-the-other: some landlords hire a company for tenant sourcing and legal matters, while using software themselves to keep visibility into payments and reports rather than relying entirely on the company's word.

To be clear about what Kodi is

Kodi is software, not a property management company — we don't source tenants, handle evictions, or manage your property on your behalf. We build the tools that let you (or the company you hire) run that operation without spreadsheets and paper log books.

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on how much time you have and how far you are from the property. A company is worth the fee if you genuinely can't manage day-to-day tasks yourself. If you can, software gets you most of the same visibility and automation for a fixed, much smaller cost — and the two aren't mutually exclusive.

Ask for business registration details, request references from current clients, get the full fee structure in writing, and consider starting with a shorter initial contract term rather than committing long-term immediately.

Yes. Some landlords use their own software alongside a management company specifically so they have independent visibility into payments and occupancy, rather than relying solely on the company's reports.

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