How we are coping with the growing rent burden

BY LILYS NJERU

The traffic was steadily building up and each time the matatu’s pace slowed, 23 year old Anne Nkirote would get agitated. She was in a rush against time to meet a property agent who had already informed her there were other tenants interested in the bedsitter she wanted to rent.

“I have been house hunting for the past two months and this is the only fairly priced house I have found. I will be gutted if someone else beats me to it,” she told the agent as she alighted from the matatu and hopped onto a motorbike.

With soaring rent prices, rising unemployment rates and low income for those employed, securing a decent place to live is a herculean task for many. In search of affordable rental homes, many have fallen prey to unscrupulous individuals masquerading as property owners on social media.

“When looking for a house, it is important to be familiar with the market rates in that particular area. For instance, if you are looking to rent in Roysambu along Thika Road, an offer of Sh6,000 for a one-bedroom house would be too good to be true,” advices John Njenga, a property agent based in Nairobi.

A spot check by MyNetwork revealed that in Nairobi’s Eastlands, for instance, the average cost of a bedsitter is Sh7,000 while prices for single rooms start at Sh3,500. Prices are much higher in estates near the CBD where a bedsitter could cost up to Sh16,000.

Three young people share their tenant experiences and challenges, and the strategies they’ve had to adopt to meet this monthly expense.

Sandra Awuor Hawi, 22
Teacher, Nakuru
 “I live on the outskirts of Nakuru town where rent is cheaper compared to areas near town,” she says.

Towards the end of last year, Sandra got an opportunity to teach biology and agriculture in a school located in Bahati, Nakuru. By then, she was living with her parents in Kericho.

“Before I started house hunting, I had a picture of the kind of house I wanted to move into. I wanted one that was in a safe neighbourhood, close to the CBD and with constant supply of water. My budget was Sh4,500. Days into the search, I discovered that my budget was too low,” she offers.

Not willing to live beyond her means, Sandra had to abandon her vision and start looking for a house in the outskirts of Nakuru.
“With the help of my cousin, I got a house that I could afford but I had to make some compromises. For instance, I don’t have running water in my house and I am concerned about the security in the area. 

“One day, when my income grows, I will move into a better house. But at the moment, I am contented with the fact that I don’t struggle to pay rent. One thing I have learnt about house hunting is that one has to be ready to make sacrifices, and that it is highly important to start the search as early as possible to allow yourself time to explore the various options.

Faith Mbiwa, 25
Sociologist. Oyugis
“Rather than continue being frustrated about my rent, I decided to go back home.

“After months of unsuccessful job hunting, I got an opportunity far away from my mother’s house, so I had to move out. With the salary I had been offered, I knew that getting a decent place to live would be a challenge, so I welcomed the idea of living in a house that my then employer was renting out. 

“It was a two-bedroom house going for Sh4,000. The only problem was that it was in the outskirts and to get to the main road, I had to use a boda boda every day,” she offers.

That was in March last year, and when the Covid-19 pandemic struck, Sandra’s salary was slashed by 50 per cent.

“Fortunately, I had already paid three months’ rent in advance from my savings. Otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to afford my rent. Towards the end of June, I quit my job and went back home.”

Sandra is a sociologist and a graduate from Maseno University, Kisumu campus. She shares that it was while at the campus that she had her first difficult experience house hunting due to the high cost of rent.

“I was aged just 21 and the institution did not have hostels for students, so we had to look for accommodation elsewhere. I had to look for a place that my mother could afford without much struggle. I ended up renting a room in an informal settlement and had to take in a roommate. The neighbourhood was so insecure that we had to be in the house by dusk. I didn’t stay there for long. One day I came home and found that my roommate had moved out, so I decided to look for another house. Thankfully, I got a better deal in a much safe neighbourhood,” she shares.
When on a short contract, instead of renting her own place, Sandra puts up with friends.

“I have done that twice. Sometime in 2018, I was in between jobs and was hosted by a friend. Right now, I am looking for a job opportunity and until I get one, I cannot afford to move out.

Catempa Spinnered, 20,
Student, MKU 
“I could not find a house within my budget so I moved in with a friend.”

“In September 2018, I enrolled at Mount Kenya University to pursue a Bachelor of Commerce degree. That was my first time to live in Nairobi and having come from Kakamega County, I did not know much about the city,” he shares.

Catempa’s parents had agreed to pay his tuition fees, but they expected him to look for a side job that would cater for his accommodation and other basic expenses. He left home with a few personal effects and began looking for a house. His budget was Sh1,500.

“I arrived in the city early in the morning and by evening, I had not got a house that was within my budget. Most houses were priced above Sh6,000 and because I was a jobless student, I could not afford it,” he shares.

Luckily, one of his friends who was a student at a different institution and had lived in Nairobi, broached the idea of living together to share costs.

“Before I left Kakamega I had informed him of my intentions of living by myself once I got to the city. When I disclosed my budget, he laughed and told me that with Sh1,500, I could only afford a house in informal settlements. I didn’t want that,” he shares.

Besides the realisation that houses in Nairobi were not as affordable as he had thought, the third year student was forced to grapple with yet another reality.

“I found it hard to find a job, and this made it very difficult for me to afford my share of the rent which was Sh2,500. I reached out to my parents and after lengthy deliberations, I convinced them to support me,” he offers.

Catempa is yet to get a job and his roommate, upon graduating last year, moved out of their shared house.

“I just don’t know what to do. I cannot go back to my parents to ask for support because their finances have been severely affected by the pandemic. My roommate is yet to get a job so he decided to go back home to cut costs. To survive, I urgently need to get a job and someone I can share the rent with,” he offers.

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