Posted on Sep 11, 2025
In Kenya’s rental market, receipts are more than just slips of paper; they are a tenant’s lifeline when disputes arise. A recent case at the Business Premises Rent Tribunal (BPRT) shows how failure to keep proper records can turn into a costly affair.
In Okuku v Okatch (2024), the tenant claimed he had faithfully paid his landlord rent for several years, but many of the payments were never acknowledged with receipts. When a disagreement over arrears arose, the landlord locked the tenant out, accusing him of owing over Kshs 44,000 (Okuku v Okatch, 2024).
The tenant insisted he had already cleared most of the rent and what remained was only Kshs 17,500. To prove this, he produced a handful of receipts; one for Kshs 24,000 covering September to November 2019, another for Kshs 24,000 covering December 2019 to February 2020, and a later one showing partial pre-payment in 2021 (Okuku v Okatch, 2024).
The receipts worked in his favour. After reconciling the evidence, the tribunal ruled that the monthly rent had indeed been reduced to Kshs 8,000 during COVID-19 and, crucially, that almost all of the arrears had already been paid. In the end, the tenant owed only Kshs 90 (Okuku v Okatch, 2024).
While this case ended with the tenant largely vindicated, it highlights a serious risk: if Okuku had not kept those few receipts, he could easily have been ordered to pay tens of thousands of shillings in “arrears” he had already cleared.
Kenyan rental law places the burden of proof on whoever alleges and in rent disputes, that often means the tenant must show evidence of payment (Business Premises Rent Tribunal Act, Cap 301). Cash transactions without receipts, or even M-Pesa payments without statements, leave tenants vulnerable.
Always demand receipts: Whether you pay in cash or electronically, insist on official acknowledgment from your landlord.
Keep copies safely: Even digital receipts can get lost if phones crash or numbers change. Store them securely.
Push for transparent systems: Platforms that automate rent collection and issue instant digital receipts protect both tenants and landlords from unnecessary disputes.
Cases like Okuku v Okatch reveal a hidden cost in Kenya’s rental market: the lack of reliable records. What starts as a simple misunderstanding can escalate into months of legal battles, business disruption, and heavy financial stress.
For tenants, one missing receipt can mean the difference between justice and a crushing fine. For landlords, unclear accounting creates room for mistrust and tenant flight. In the end, both sides pay the price.
Business Premises Rent Tribunal Act, Cap 301 (Kenya).
Okuku v Okatch, E013 of 2024 (Business Premises Rent Tribunal, Aug. 23, 2024). Retrieved from https://new.kenyalaw.org/akn/ke/judgment/kebprt/2024/1205/eng%402024-08-23
Posted on Sep 11, 2025
