How does NyumbaScout protect tenants from rental scams?

NyumbaScout protects tenants through four layers: (1) Every landlord provides a national ID that is verified against government records. (2) Every property is physically inspected and confirmed before listing. (3) A biometric scammer blacklist permanently bans anyone who has committed rental fraud. (4) All payments go through M-Pesa with automatic receipts — so there is a digital record of every shilling you pay.

What types of properties can I find on NyumbaScout in Nairobi?

NyumbaScout has bedsitters, studio apartments, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom, and 3-bedroom apartments, townhouses, maisonettes, and standalone houses across Nairobi. Available in Westlands, Kilimani, Karen, Lavington, Parklands, Spring Valley, Runda, Muthaiga, Hurlingham, South B, South C, Eastleigh, Kasarani, Ruaka, Ngong Road, Rongai, and Langata.

Is there a deposit when renting through NyumbaScout?

Yes — most Kenyan rentals require a deposit of 1–3 months' rent, which is standard market practice. NyumbaScout holds deposits in escrow until you move in, protecting you from landlords who take deposits then deny access. If a landlord fails to honour the agreement, NyumbaScout initiates a refund.

Can diaspora Kenyans use NyumbaScout to find a home before arriving?

Yes — NyumbaScout is designed for diaspora use. Because every property is physically verified and every landlord is ID-checked, you can book a viewing remotely and pay a holding deposit through M-Pesa or mobile money. You will not land in Nairobi to find the property does not exist.

How do I report a suspicious landlord or fake listing in Kenya?

On NyumbaScout, every listing has a Report button. Our team investigates within 24 hours. If fraud is confirmed, the landlord is biometrically blacklisted and cannot create a new account. For listings outside NyumbaScout, report to DCI Kenya (Directorate of Criminal Investigations) or the Landlord Association of Kenya.

For tenants

Your deposit
is sacred to us.

We built NyumbaScout because too many people in this city had been scammed. Every single listing on our platform is visited, photographed, and confirmed real before you can book it.

Find a verified home How it works

"I paid KES 55,000 for an apartment that didn't exist. The landlord vanished before I ever saw a key."

— Brian M., Westlands, 2024

Why we exist

⚠️ KES 42,000 average rental fraud loss in Nairobi

The rental market in Kenya has a fraud problem. We built the answer.

Brian's story is not unique. Every month, hundreds of Nairobians lose deposits to listings that don't exist, landlords who disappear, and properties that look nothing like the photos.

NyumbaScout was built to end this. We send a scout to every property before it goes live. We check every landlord's ID against the national registry. We hold every deposit in escrow until you move in safely.

If it's on NyumbaScout, it's real.

See how verification works →

Step by step

From search to move-in.
Every step protected.

🔍

Search verified listings

Filter by neighbourhood, type, and price. Every listing has passed our Scout check — no unverified results, ever.

📋

Read the Scout report

Each listing shows you the landlord's trust tier, our field photos, the property confirmation, and full dispute history.

📅

Book a verified viewing

Request a viewing in-app. We confirm availability and send you a time-locked booking confirmation before you travel.

✏

Sign and pay safely

Sign your lease digitally. Pay deposit via M-Pesa escrow — it's held by NyumbaScout, not the landlord, until you confirm you've moved in.

Our guarantee

Protections you will not find anywhere else in Kenya.

Every NyumbaScout tenant gets four layers of protection that other platforms simply don't offer.

🕵

Property confirmation

We visited. We photographed. We matched it to address records. If something changed since our visit, we pull the listing immediately.

👤

Landlord ID verification

Every landlord is ID-checked against the national registry. Their trust tier is displayed on every listing — Basic, Verified, Trusted, or Premium.

💰

Deposit escrow

Your deposit is held by NyumbaScout in escrow. Only released to the landlord after you confirm a successful move-in. Disputed? Returned within 48 hours.

🔒

Scammer blacklist

A biometric blacklist means landlords banned for fraud cannot return to the platform under a new name or phone number.

Diaspora renters

Moving back to Nairobi?
We've got you.

Searching for a home from London, Houston, or Dubai is terrifying on other platforms. With NyumbaScout, every listing you see has been independently verified. You can trust what you see — before you book a flight.

🌐

Remote-friendly viewing

Book a video walkthrough with our scout at the property — so you can see it live from anywhere in the world.

🔒

Escrow protects your deposit

Pay your deposit digitally. It's held safely until you land and confirm the home is exactly as listed.

📞

WhatsApp coordination

Our team stays in touch on WhatsApp throughout — answering questions, booking viewings, confirming details.

Find your Nairobi home

Real tenants

They trusted the Scout.

“

I had been scammed twice before I found NyumbaScout. Reading the Scout report before booking the viewing made all the difference. Moved into my Kilimani apartment without a single problem.

Amina M.

Kilimani, Nairobi

“

I was relocating from the UK. Finding a flat remotely is normally a nightmare. NyumbaScout's video viewing and escrow system meant I could pay my deposit from London knowing it was safe.

James K.

Westlands — moved from London

“

The landlord trust tier was the thing that convinced me. I chose a Trusted-tier landlord. Everything was exactly as described. NyumbaScout has cracked something I thought was impossible in this market.

Faith O.

Lavington, Nairobi

Free download

The 7 Signs of a Fake
Nairobi Rental

Know the warning signs before you book a viewing. This guide has protected thousands of Nairobi renters from losing their deposit.

The exact wording scammers use to create urgency
Why "available immediately" is the most dangerous phrase in Kenyan listings
How to spot photos copied from real estate sites
Why you should never pay a deposit before a verified viewing
The M-Pesa trick that makes stolen deposits untraceable
What a legitimate title deed looks like — and what a fake one misses
The one question that exposes every fake landlord instantly

Free for tenants — always

Download NyumbaScout.
Find a real home.

Browse 2,400+ verified listings, book viewings, sign digitally, and pay via M-Pesa escrow. Completely free for tenants — on Android and iOS.

Download on theApp Store

Get it onGoogle Play

Your depositis sacred to us.