Land scams in Kenya are fairly common, but you can avoid them by doing a few simple checks that our expert property lawyers share:
- Verify the title
- Use Ardhisasa/eCitizen
- Inspect the land with a surveyor
- Confirm Land Control Board consent for farms
- Work with a licensed lawyer.
Buying land in Kenya is one of the biggest purchases many people make. Scammers try to take money from buyers who do not check properly. This guide explains the common scams and gives plain, step-by-step actions you can use to stay safe.
What are Land Scams in Kenya?
A land scam happens when sellers trick buyers into paying for land they do not legally own or nonexistent land. Land fraud is a serious problem that has cost many Kenyans their life savings.
Land scams in Kenya may also include selling the same piece of land to more than one person, using fake title deeds, or hiding debts and court cases on the land. Scammers often rush you and ask for cash while offering a too good to be true deal.
Why Land Scams are So Common in Kenya
- High Demand for Land: As the population grows, good and affordable land becomes scarce. Therefore, high demand makes people act quickly, sometimes without doing proper checks leading to possible scams.
- Confusing Records: In the past, land records were kept on paper. This made it easy for dishonest people to alter documents or create fake ones. Although the government is moving records to a digital system (called Ardhi Sasa), many old records are still being transferred.
- Lack of Information: Many buyers do not know the right steps to take. They rely on the seller or a broker, who might not be honest.
Common types of land scams in Kenya
- Fake title deeds: Scammers make documents that look real. These can be very convincing.
- Double sales: The same plot is sold to several buyers. Everyone thinks they own it.
- Ghost plots: Sellers sell land that does not exist or is public land.
- Forgeries and impersonation: People forge signatures or pretend to be the real owner. Government officials have even been arrested in some syndicates.)
- No LCB consent for farms: Agricultural land sold without Land Control Board consent can be void. This is a key trap for rural land buyers.
- The Unauthorized Agent (Broker): Smooth-talking brokers may claim to represent the real owner, presenting the owner and scamming off the deposits.
Why scams keep happening
Some scammers work inside systems. There have been cases where syndicates used forged documents and corrupt officials to sell land. The Ministry of Lands and law enforcement have carried out crackdowns, but fraud still happens, especially where buyers skip basic checks.
Step-by-step Guide Before Paying for Land
Step 1: Verify the Seller’s Identity and Chain of Ownership
Always request the original title deed and the seller’s national ID or passport. Photocopies can be forged. Make sure the person selling the land is the person named on the title deed from the official search.
How to do it: Meet the seller in person. Ask for their original National ID or passport. Compare the name and photo on the ID with the name on the title deed and with the person in front of you.
If the seller is a company, your lawyer will check if it is legally registered and who its directors are.
Additionally, ask for past transfer documents and check the history in the registry. Make sure the person selling actually has the legal right to sell.
Step 2: Run an official land search (Ardhisasa or eCitizen)
Use the government land portal Ardhisasa or eCitizen to check the title number, owner name, and any charges (mortgages or caveats). This is the single most important check you can do. You can do it online or ask your lawyer to do it for you.
a) What it is: An official search is a document you get from the Ministry of Lands (usually at the county land registry offices). It confirms who the legal owner of the land is. It also shows if the land has any problems, like a bank loan (charge) or a court case (caution) against it.
b) How to do it: You need the land’s reference number from the title deed. Go to the relevant land’s office with the seller. You can also use your lawyer to do this.
Step 3: Visit the plot with a licensed surveyor
Go to the land in person with a land surveyor. Confirm that the survey plan on the title matches the ground. Check boundary marks and neighbours. If the plan and land don’t match, stop.
Visit at different times of the day. Talk to people who live nearby. Ask them who the real owner is and how long the land has been vacant. Neighbours often know the true history of the property.
Step 4: Check for encumbrances and court cases
The official search will show mortgages, caveats, and notices. If there is a bank charge or court case, clear it before buying. Don’t assume the seller will sort it out later.
Step 5: For farms: confirm Land Control Board (LCB) consent
If the land is agricultural, ask to see LCB consent documents. Without LCB approval the sale may be void and you could lose your money. LCB consent is mandatory for many rural transactions.
Step 6: Hire a licensed independent advocate and hold money in trust
Hire a registered lawyer (advocate) not the seller’s. Pay deposits into the lawyer’s client trust account or use a bank escrow. Never pay large sums in cash to the seller. A lawyer also prepares the sale agreement and lodges transfer documents.
Essentially, your lawyer will conduct the official search, verify all documents, and ensure the money transfer is done safely. They will act only in your interest.
Step 7: Check with the Local Government (County)
Visit the physical planning department at the local county government office. Ask for two things:
- A zoning map: This confirms that the land exists and is designated for the use you want (e.g., residential, commercial).
- Approved development plans: This checks if there are any planned roads or public proj2`ects that might affect the land in the future.
Step 8: Be Careful with Payments
- Never pay in cash: Always use a bank or a lawyer-managed bank account (called an advocate’s client account). This creates a paper trail.
- Use a staged payment plan: Agree to pay in stages. For example, a small deposit after the official search, and the full balance only when the transfer is being completed at the lands office.
- Acquire receipts: Always get a signed receipt for every payment.
Step 9: Get official approvals and permits checked
If the seller says the land is subdivided or has development approvals, ask to see the county planning permits. Illegal subdivisions are common in scams.
Possible Red flags
- Seller won’t show the original title deed or ID.
- Seller presses you to pay quickly or asks for cash only.
- Price is far lower than nearby plots with no clear reason.
- Multiple agents handle the sale and you cannot meet the owner.
- Documents have spelling mistakes, missing stamps, or look poor quality.
If you see any of these, pause and do the full checks above.
What to do if you suspect fraud
- Stop the process and any payments immediately.
- Report the matter to the DCI (Directorate of Criminal Investigations) and the EACC (Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission) If you have already paid money and suspect fraud
- Inform the Lands Registry or county office so they can flag the title.
- Get legal help quickly: a lawyer can seek injunctions and take recovery steps.
Pro tips for avoiding Land Scams in Kenya
- Safety over speed. Scammers want you rushed.
- Use professionals: a trusted lawyer, a licensed surveyor, and a valuer. They cost money but can save you far more.
- Keep digital screenshots and records of Ardhisasa searches and emails. These can be useful evidence later.
