Sectional Titles in Kenya: What Changed and Why It Matters

Not all property in Kenya is owned as a standalone plot. Apartments, units within a gated development, and similar shared-building arrangements are typically governed by a sectional titles regime, which works differently from a standard individual plot title.

The Basic Concept

Sectional ownership allows a buyer to hold individual title to a specific unit — an apartment, for instance — while sharing ownership of common areas (driveways, gardens, shared walls, amenities) with other unit owners in the same development, typically through a registered owners’ association or management corporation.

Why This Differs From a Standard Plot Purchase

• You own a unit, not standalone land. Your title covers your specific section, plus an undivided share in the common property.
• Shared governance. Decisions about common areas, maintenance, and rules are typically made collectively, through an owners’ association rather than by an individual titleholder.
• Ongoing service charges. Maintaining shared infrastructure usually means regular service charges beyond standard land rates.

Where This Applies

This regime is relevant mainly to apartment or multi-unit purchases rather than standalone residential or agricultural plots — the kind of land most rural and peri-urban buyers, including most Famyard clients, are purchasing.

What to Confirm If You’re Considering a Sectional Unit

Ask about the owners’ association’s governance structure, current service charge levels, and whether the development’s sectional plan has been properly registered — a step that formalizes individual unit ownership.

Bottom Line

Sectional titles solve a real problem — enabling individual ownership within shared developments — but they come with different obligations than owning a standalone plot outright.