Difficult tenants? Imagine you own a beautiful apartment or house in Kilimani, Westlands, Lavington, Kileleshwa or Riverside. It’s been renting well for years. Now you want to sell… and suddenly one (or all) of your tenants turn into a nightmare: refusing viewings, leaving the place a mess, or simply ignoring your messages.
Here is exactly how hundreds of Nairobi landlords successfully sell with difficult tenants Kenya every year – legally, quickly, and for the best possible price.
1. Sell Tenanted – The Easiest Way Out When Tenants Are Difficult
The fastest, cleanest solution. Professional buy-and-hold investors actively look for fully tenanted buildings. They don’t need to see inside – they buy on numbers and sort the tenants later. We’ve sold entire blocks in Kileleshwa and Kilimani in under 14 days this way.
2. Cash-for-Keys – The Magic That Works Every Single Time
Offer the tenant money to leave voluntarily and clean the place. 2025 going rates in upmarket Nairobi:
- Normal tenant: 2–4 months rent
- Messy or difficult tenants: 5–10 months rent + moving costs One landlord in Lavington paid Ksh 1.8M to a tenant with 18 cats – house sold 19 days later for full price.
3. Use a Professional Tenant Relocation Service
Specialist companies now exist who:
- Negotiate the exit
- Pack and move everything (even hoarded items)
- Deep-clean and repaint They cost money, but they turn a nightmare property into a showpiece overnight.
4. Serve Legal Notice and Market During the Notice Period
Under the Landlord & Tenant Act, you can give 3 months’ notice while marketing. Many buyers love collecting rent while waiting for vacant possession. Works especially well with diplomatic or corporate tenants who always leave on time.
5. Price It Right and Sell “As-Is, Tenant Included”
Drop the price slightly below market and be completely transparent. Attracts renovators and developers who plan to gut-renovate anyway. A Westlands 8-unit block with 5 difficult tenants sold in 11 days this way.
6. Stage Around the Mess – Yes, It’s a Real Thing Now
Professional stagers offer “occupied staging”:
- Clear only walkways and key areas
- Use furniture covers and strategic lighting
- Photograph only the best angles A Kilimani 4-bed with a refusing tenant sold for full asking price using this method.
7. Switch to Short-Let First, Then Sell Vacant and Perfect
If leases are month-to-month, move tenants to Airbnb/serviced lets for 60–90 days. You often earn more than normal rent while professionals clean and stage the property. A Riverside home that looked like a disaster earned double rent on short-let and sold vacant for top dollar.
8. Work with an Agent Who Has Done This Dozens of Times
Not every agent knows how to handle difficult tenants. You need someone with:
- Direct relationships with investor buyers
- Experience with cash-for-keys negotiations
- Access to relocation teams and stagers One good agent can save you months of stress and millions in lost value.
Quick Decision Table – Difficult Tenants Kenya 2025
| Tenant Situation | Best Strategy | Typical Timeline | Expected Price Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cooperative but messy | Cash-for-keys + staging | 21–45 days | Full price or higher |
| Refusing viewings | Sell tenanted to investor | 7–21 days | 5–12 % discount |
| Hoarder / extreme mess | Professional relocation | 35–70 days | Full price after |
| Month-to-month lease | Short-let → sell vacant | 75–120 days | Highest possible |
| Diplomatic/corporate tenant | Market during notice period | 45–90 days | Minimal discount |
The Bottom Line
Difficult tenants Kenya do not have to trap you forever. With the right strategy (and the right help), you can turn the worst rental nightmare into a smooth, profitable sale – often in weeks instead of years.
Selling a tenanted property in Kilimani, Westlands, Lavington, Kileleshwa or Riverside and worried about difficult tenants? Contact Realty Boris today for your free, no-obligation tenant-exit strategy – we’ve done this hundreds of times.
