Due Diligence Guide - For Diaspora Buyers

Before you sign anything: how to verify a Kenya property deal.

Kenya property fraud is real. Diaspora fraud cases rose 18% in 2025, and over KSh 5 billion in land fraud was reported in 2024. This page tells you exactly how to verify any deal - including Unity Homes - so you can make an informed decision. We are a referral site; we want you to verify everything.

Jump to verification checklist → See common scam types

Why this matters

Kenya property fraud is not rare - it targets diaspora buyers specifically

18%
Rise in diaspora fraud cases in 2025 (EACC data)
KSh 5B+
Land fraud reported in Kenya in 2024
30%
Of scams begin with unlicensed intermediaries (police reports)

Diaspora buyers are prime targets because they can't inspect the property easily, they often rely on family or online contacts to represent them, and they have access to foreign currency savings that are attractive to fraudsters. The good news: almost all scams are detectable with the right checks. The tools to verify Kenyan property are free and available online.

Source note: Fraud statistics above sourced from publicly reported 2024-2025 data from the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) Kenya and Kenya police reports as covered by Kenyan media. These are cited as illustrative context - conduct your own verification via official EACC channels.

Know what you're up against

The most common Kenya property scams targeting diaspora buyers

Understanding the pattern helps you recognise the warning signs before you lose money.

⚠️ Fake title deeds

Fraudsters produce counterfeit title deeds with mismatched parcel numbers, misspelled names, incorrect fonts, or missing official watermarks and registry stamps. Many look convincing to a non-expert.

✔ Protection: Run a KSh 500 search on Ardhisasa (ardhisasa.lands.go.ke) - the official Ministry of Lands digital platform. This returns the genuine registered title information for any parcel number within minutes.

⚠️ Double selling - same land sold to multiple buyers

A seller enters agreements with multiple diaspora buyers simultaneously for the same property. By the time the conflict surfaces, the money is gone and the sellers are unreachable.

✔ Protection: Ardhisasa search reveals encumbrances and any registered ownership. An eCitizen land search (KSh 500) through the Ministry of Lands flags if a property has multiple claims or outstanding caveats.

⚠️ Tenure misrepresentation - freehold claimed but it's leasehold

A plot is sold as freehold when it is actually leasehold with a short remaining term. The buyer discovers they own a depreciating leasehold interest, not outright ownership.

✔ Protection: The Ardhisasa or eCitizen land search shows the registered tenure type and remaining term. Your advocate must verify this before you sign.

⚠️ Unlicensed "agents" with WhatsApp access only

30% of Kenya property scams begin with unlicensed intermediaries. A person presents themselves as a developer sales agent via WhatsApp with glossy renders and "exclusive diaspora deals." They are not registered with the Institute of Estate Agents Kenya (IEA) and have no legal standing.

✔ Protection: Only deal with the developer directly (call their official number) or with an IEA-registered agent. Check IEA registration at ieakenya.or.ke.

⚠️ Pressure tactics - "limited time" and "last units"

Police reports attribute 25% of investment scams to pressure tactics. Artificial urgency ("only 3 units left at this price, offer expires Friday") is designed to prevent you from doing due diligence.

✔ Protection: Any legitimate developer will allow 4-6 weeks for standard checks. If you're being rushed, treat it as a red flag. Unity Homes should have no issue with you taking time to do due diligence.

⚠️ Bank account swap fraud (Business Email Compromise)

A fraudster intercepts email communication between you and the developer and substitutes the developer's bank details with their own. You wire money to a fraudulent account that belongs to the developer on paper but is controlled by the fraudster.

✔ Protection: Always call the developer's official number to verbally verify bank account details before every wire transfer - even if the email looks legitimate. Unity Homes: +254 701 550 550.

Your due diligence checklist

How to verify any Kenya property deal - step by step

These steps apply to any Kenya property purchase, not just Unity Homes. Run through every one before committing money.

1

Search the developer's company on the Business Registration Service

Verify the developer is a registered Kenyan company with active status. Look up "Unity Homes Limited" or your developer of choice.

brs.go.ke - Business Registration Service →

What to look for: Active status, incorporation date, registered directors, company address.

2

Run a land search on Ardhisasa

For a project still under construction, ask Unity for the Tatu City parcel / parent title reference, then search it on Ardhisasa. For completed units, search the specific sectional title parcel.

ardhisasa.lands.go.ke - KSh 500 per search →

What to look for: Registered owner matching the developer, no adverse encumbrances, correct tenure type (freehold/leasehold), no caveats.

3

Run a Ministry of Lands eCitizen search

An independent cross-check of the same parcel on the eCitizen land search confirms the Ardhisasa result and flags any inconsistencies between registry systems.

ecitizen.go.ke - Land search, KSh 500 →
4

Verify Tatu City's SEZ status with the SEZ Authority

Confirm that Tatu City is a gazetted Special Economic Zone - this underpins many of the infrastructure and governance claims made about the development.

seza.go.ke - Kenya SEZ Authority →
5

Verify the contractor on the NCA register

Ask Unity for their NCA registration number and verify the construction contractor is registered and in good standing with the National Construction Authority.

nca.go.ke - National Construction Authority →
6

Hire your own independent conveyancing advocate

This is the most important step. Your advocate reviews the Sale Agreement, checks the title chain, and protects your interests - not Unity's. Use the LSK directory to find one independently.

lsk.or.ke - Law Society of Kenya advocate directory →

Typical cost: 1-2% of property value. Non-negotiable for a safe purchase.

7

Check that the agent is IEA-registered (if using an agent)

If you're working with an intermediary rather than directly with Unity, verify their IEA registration. Unregistered agents have no regulatory accountability.

ieakenya.or.ke - Institute of Estate Agents Kenya →
8

Request planning approvals and building permits

For an off-plan purchase, ask Unity to share their approved building plans and county planning approval. Verify with the Kiambu County Government that the development is properly approved.

kiambu.go.ke - Kiambu County Government →
9

Visit the site - if at all possible

If you're passing through Nairobi or can arrange a short visit, go to Tatu City. See the site, the completed earlier Unity phases, and the surrounding infrastructure. Nothing replaces physical verification for an off-plan purchase.

tatucity.com - Book a site visit →
10

Report to EACC if you suspect fraud

If at any point you suspect fraud - a fake developer, a fake agent, or suspicious account substitution - report to the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission.

eacc.go.ke - Report fraud →

Applying the checklist to Unity Homes

How Unity Homes at Tatu City checks out - our independent assessment

We are a referral partner, not a neutral third party - factor that in. But here are how Unity Homes scores against the standard diaspora buyer verification checklist, based on publicly verifiable information. You should still run these checks yourself.

Check Status Notes
Company registration ✔ Verifiable Search "Unity Homes Limited" on brs.go.ke - registered Kenyan company.
Prior completed developments ✔ Verifiable Unity One and Unity East are prior phases at Tatu City - you can ask buyers of these to verify.
Tatu City SEZ status ✔ Verifiable Confirmed gazetted SEZ via SEZA. Tatu City's SEZ status is a matter of public record.
Title / land search ⚠ Request the parcel details Off-plan - you'll need Unity to provide the parent title parcel number so you can search it on Ardhisasa. Do not skip this step.
Building approvals ⚠ Request from Unity Ask Unity for approved building plans and county planning approval. Verify with Kiambu County.
Sectional title structure ✔ Stated Unity states individual sectional titles per unit under the Sectional Properties Act. Confirm this in your Sale Agreement.
IEA / agent registration ✔ Direct developer You're dealing with the developer directly - no third-party agent layer. Sales via unityhomes.co.ke and verified contact numbers.
Instalment protection ⚠ Confirm in Sale Agreement Ask your advocate to review what protections exist if Unity defaults, delays significantly, or cannot deliver. Escrow arrangements may be available.
Diaspora buying track record ✔ Documented Active UK, Dubai, and Australia events documented on Unity's website. Multiple diaspora buyers in prior phases.
Overall risk level ⚠ Medium - as with any off-plan No off-plan purchase is zero risk. The risks here are more manageable than a raw land deal, but they exist. Hire an advocate. Do your checks.
This assessment is our opinion, not a guarantee. We have researched publicly available information but have not independently verified every claim made by Unity Homes or Tatu City. Do not treat this table as a substitute for your own due diligence. Hire an advocate. Run the searches. Visit the site.

Universal warning signs

Red flags that apply to any Kenya property deal

If you see any of these - in any deal, including Unity - stop, slow down, and verify before transferring money.

🚫 Seller refuses to show the original title deed Any legitimate seller or developer can produce the original title or registered documents on request. Refusal is a hard stop.
🚫 "Exclusive diaspora deal" only available via WhatsApp If the deal exists only in a WhatsApp chat and the "agent" cannot direct you to a verifiable company address, website, and registered office - it is almost certainly fraud.
🚫 Pressure to pay before due diligence "Pay today or lose the unit" is a fraud hallmark. Legitimate developers allow 4-6 weeks for checks. Unity Homes should not pressure you into skipping this.
🚫 Price is dramatically below market A KSh 10.8M 2-bed in Tatu City is priced roughly correctly for the market. If someone is offering a similar apartment for KSh 3-4M - which is not a deal, it is a scam.
🚫 Bank details arrive only via email - never verified by phone Always call the official number to confirm. Business Email Compromise is sophisticated - the email can look perfect and still be fraudulent.
🚫 The "lawyer" is recommended exclusively by the seller If you are told to use a specific lawyer and they share client referral fees with the developer, your interests are not being protected. Always use your own advocate.
🚫 No receipts or formal documentation for payments Every payment must generate an official receipt on company letterhead. No receipt = no protection.
🚫 The agent is not in Kenya or cannot arrange a site visit If the person selling you property in Kenya cannot arrange for you or a representative to visit the site, which is a serious red flag.

Verification questions

Common due diligence questions

4-6 weeks is considered standard for a Kenya property purchase. This allows time for your advocate to review the Sale Agreement, run the land searches, check planning approvals, and advise on the Power of Attorney process. Any developer insisting on less time without good reason is a warning sign.
An Ardhisasa search on the parcel/title number reveals: the registered owner's name, the tenure type (freehold or leasehold and remaining term), any registered encumbrances (mortgages, charges), any caveats or cautions (which flag disputes or competing claims), and basic parcel dimensions. If the registered owner does not match who claims to be selling to you - stop immediately.
Yes. Ardhisasa (ardhisasa.lands.go.ke) is accessible online. You need the parcel/title number, which the developer must provide. You will need a Kenya-registered Ardhisasa account or can ask your Kenyan advocate to run the search and share the results with you. The eCitizen land search (ecitizen.go.ke) is also online and accessible from anywhere.
This would be a significant red flag. Any legitimate developer selling off-plan property should be able to provide the registered parcel number of the parent land title on request. If Unity cannot or will not provide this, escalate to their official sales team directly (not via a third-party agent) and if still unresolved, consult your advocate before proceeding further.
Escrow - where a neutral third party holds your money until conditions are met - is an excellent protection for a property purchase. Ask your advocate whether escrow arrangements are available for Unity Parkside payments. Even if Unity's standard process doesn't use escrow, your advocate may be able to structure payments through a client trust account with appropriate protections.

Quick access

All official verification links in one place

Kenya Government Portals

Professional Directories & Reporting

Done your checks? Ready to get the numbers?

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