In an attempt to become more efficient to Kenyans, the Ministry of Lands has been working to digitize all the land records in Kenya. Finally, land buyers can now perform a land search online at the comfort of their homes
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In the past, land records were uncoordinated making it possible for unscrupulous people to take advantage and steal land from rightful owners. All this is set to change with the digitization of all land records in Kenya.
what does that mean for Real Estate investors especially those looking to buy land in Kenya today?
Performing a land search is an important part of doing your due diligence when buying land.
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The result of a search will help establish the rightful owner of the property you seek to purchase land from and whether there are any pending issues relating to the ownership of the land.
A land search will show the full name of the owner, the approximate size of the land, and any claim on the land, e.g where the land has been used as collateral for a bank loan or a surety in a legal dispute.
How to perform an online land search?
With the recent digitization of land records, Kenyans no longer need to move from office to office when searching for land information, all this can be done with a simple search from wherever you are.
Steps to be taken to perform an online land search;
- log into the e-Citizen platform and create an account
- Navigate to the Ministry of Land and physical planning and select the land search option
- Input the title number and complete the online land search form
- Confirm that all the details are correct before submitting the form
- Select your preferred payment option, which can either be through M-Pesa, credit card or a debit card. No CASH payment is allowed.
- Once the payment is successful, proceed to print the results
- The same information can be found on your portal anytime you log into your e-citizen account.
- What is the cost of doing a land search in Kenya?
A land search costs Ksh 500 and can be paid using M-PESA, a Credit card, or a debit card.
All landowners are expected to register their contact details with the ministry of land by inputting their full names, ID number, and Title Deed number in the digital platform.
When the said details are successfully registered, the owner can be notified whenever someone searches for their parcel. This surely streamlines land transactions by enhancing transparency
