What we check
The checks depend on the type of property and title, but a thorough Kenyan property due diligence usually includes:
- An official search at the land registry, including on the Ardhisasa platform where the registry has migrated, to confirm the registered owner and encumbrances
- Verification of the seller's identity, and for companies a company search to confirm who can sign
- Charges, cautions, restrictions, inhibitions and court orders registered against the title
- For leasehold titles, the remaining lease term, land rent and lease conditions
- County rates and, where applicable, land rent clearance
- Survey records and boundaries, and whether the physical plot matches the registry map
- Zoning, change of user and planning approvals for the intended use
- Land Control Board consent where agricultural land is involved
- Spousal consent where the property may be a matrimonial home
- For off-plan purchases, the developer's title, approvals, and the structure for sectional titles
Why searches alone are not enough
An official search shows what the register records on a given date. It does not reveal an occupier with a claim, a boundary that does not match the map, or a family member with an interest under succession law. We combine registry searches with document review, physical verification where needed, and targeted questions to the seller — then advise you on whether and how to proceed.
Common risks and mistakes
- Paying a deposit before any searches are done.
- Relying on a photocopy of a title or a search provided by the seller or agent.
- Buying land still registered in a deceased person's name without a confirmed grant.
- Ignoring occupants, boundary disputes or unregistered interests on the ground.
- Off-plan purchases where the developer does not hold title or approvals for the project.
Who should seek counsel
- First-time buyers and private investors
- Kenyans in the diaspora buying from abroad
- Developers acquiring land for a project
- Companies acquiring commercial property
How we work
- 1Collect documentsWe obtain the title details, seller identification and any documents the seller holds.
- 2Searches and verificationWe conduct registry, company, rates and planning checks, and physical verification where needed.
- 3Due diligence reportWe report the findings in plain language with a clear recommendation.
- 4Protected purchaseIf you proceed, we build protections into the sale agreement and handle the conveyance.
Advocates for this matter
Frequently asked questions
Start with an official search at the relevant land registry, or on Ardhisasa where available, to confirm the registered owner and encumbrances. Then verify the seller's identity and compare the title with survey records. An advocate can carry out and interpret these checks for you.
We recommend not paying any deposit until the key searches are complete. If a deposit must be paid, it should be held by an advocate as stakeholder under a written agreement.
Transactions involving agricultural land in many areas require consent from the relevant Land Control Board under the Land Control Act. Without it, the transaction can be void.
Yes. We carry out searches and verification in Kenya, report to you remotely, and can act under a properly executed power of attorney if you cannot travel.
Check that the developer holds title to the land, has the necessary approvals, and has a clear structure for issuing sectional titles under the Sectional Properties Act 2020. Payment terms and the escrow of deposits should also be reviewed.
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This page gives general information about Kenyan law and is not legal advice for your situation. Contacting us does not create an advocate–client relationship. Last reviewed 8 Oct 2026.