Starting this month, apartment block owners in Nairobi will be mandated to remit land rates to the county government. This directive aligns with the Sectional Properties Act of 2021, seeking to ensure adherence to regulations governing communal living spaces.
The levied rates will be contingent upon the dimensions and location of individual units within the apartment complex. As per the Sectional Properties Act of 2021, proprietors are obligated to pay rates for each unit affiliated with a title deed. Additionally, the Act mandates property owners to cover rates concerning communal spaces like swimming pools, parking lots, and playgrounds.
To facilitate this procedure, owners of residential units are compelled to establish separate accounts for settling their respective rates. This initiative forms part of the Nairobi County Government’s endeavor to streamline the taxation process, mitigating the risk of double taxation for residents.
The Nairobi City County Government Finance Act 2022, endorsed into law by Governor Johnson Sakaja the preceding year, delineates land rates for residential, commercial, and agricultural land. As outlined in the Act, property owners are obliged to remit 0.115% of the land’s assessed value. The legislation also incorporates provisions for accruing interest on arrears for individuals failing to meet payment deadlines.
“Any person failing to settle land rates by 31 March of the applicable year shall incur interest on arrears at a rate of 3.0% per month until the full payment is made,” states the law.
To ensure equitable valuation, the county government has implemented a valuation scheme aligned with the Act’s stipulations. Property valuations in diverse Nairobi neighborhoods range from KES 20.0 million to KES 35.0 million per acre in Karen, KES 285.0 million to KES 400.0 million in Westlands, KES 200.0 million to KES 300.0 million per acre in Upper Hill, and KES 20.0 million to KES 30.0 million in Mihango, Ruthimitu, Waithaka, and Pumwani areas.
