Engineers Board of Kenya on Wednesday, April, recommended a raft of measures relating to occupations of houses in Nairobi, Kiambu and other parts of the country.
In a press statement, engineers directed tenants to demand an occupation certificate before moving into a new house.
Engineers observed that the new changes were effected to curb cases of building collapses in various parts of the country, with Nairobi and Kiambu leading in the menace.
"Members of the public should demand an occupation certificate before committing to rent or occupy any building," engineers resolved.
Further, they directed landlords and developers to engage engineers approved by the board and gazetted by the government.
"All persons who are not registered engineers to stop offering engineering services in compliance with the Engineers Act of 2011," the statement indicated.
Details of Occupation Certificate
The occupancy certificate is the final approval from the government that the house is built legally and is safe for occupation.
It indicates that the building is equipped with civic needs such as sanitation, water and electricity.
An occupation certificate is issued by relevant authorities in the country in collaboration with county governments and the National Construction Authority of Kenya.
Failure to obtain the certificate is a red flag indicating that a landlord has not met the criteria defined by the rules.
Rental houses without those certificates can easily be disconnected from water lines and electricity.
In other countries, landlords must submit copies of the sanctioned plan, pollution and fire mitigation plans, completion certificate, and area computations signed by a commissioned architect.
According to engineers, the document is essential as it helps tenants occupy safe houses. They also launched and established an independent team to conduct geotechnical and structural investigations on the cause of settlement and advise relevant stakeholders on remedial actions.
