How to check if an estate agent is registered in Kenya
TrueHome Kenya · Updated 23 October 2026
Anyone can call themselves an "agent" on Facebook or WhatsApp. In Kenya, people who sell or let property for a fee must be registered under the Estate Agents Act with the Estate Agents Registration Board (EARB). Checking takes two minutes.
Check the official directory
- Open the EARB members directory: members.estateagentsboard.or.ke/directory.
- Search for the agent's name or the agency (firm) name. There is also a directory of approved firms.
- Make sure the name matches the person you are dealing with, and ask for their registration number.
- If you can't find them, contact the Board directly (details on estateagentsboard.or.ke) before paying anything.
Questions to ask any agent
- "What is your EARB registration number?"
- "Can I see the owner's letter authorising you to let or sell this property?"
- "Which account will I pay into, and whose name is on it?"
- "What exactly is your fee, and who pays it, the landlord or me?"
Caretakers are different
Many good rentals are shown by caretakers, who are not estate agents. That's fine, but a caretaker should be able to give you the landlord's name and contact, and payments should go to the landlord's or management company's account, not a personal number.
On TrueHome Kenya
Agents who want the Verified badge give us their EARB registration number and ID, which we check against the register before approving. Every badge has a code you can confirm under Check a badge.
General information only, not legal advice.