I have checked current asking rents for comparable Nairobi apartments, but I am still unclear whether closing the full gap would be worth the disruption. Similar units appear to be advertised near KES 67,710, compared with about KES 63,490 paid by my existing tenant. The tenancy has been dependable and the apartment is looked after, so vacancy time, turnover work and reletting costs could easily absorb part of the increase.
There is also a sizeable maintenance list. The individual items are manageable, though raising the rent before dealing with them would set the wrong tone.
Would you leave the figure alone, agree a smaller step after priority maintenance is completed, or seek the market asking level at the next appropriate point? I would be interested in how Kenya-based landlords weigh tenant retention against the likely vacancy period, and what local notice requirements need to be checked. If the tenant leaves, I also want to plan properly for refurbishment and handling the deposit rather than treating the decision as a simple difference between two monthly rents.
There is also a sizeable maintenance list. The individual items are manageable, though raising the rent before dealing with them would set the wrong tone.
Would you leave the figure alone, agree a smaller step after priority maintenance is completed, or seek the market asking level at the next appropriate point? I would be interested in how Kenya-based landlords weigh tenant retention against the likely vacancy period, and what local notice requirements need to be checked. If the tenant leaves, I also want to plan properly for refurbishment and handling the deposit rather than treating the decision as a simple difference between two monthly rents.