Renting out property in Kenya runs on M-Pesa. Tenants send rent by phone, often on different days and sometimes to the wrong number, and the landlord or agent reconciles it all against a notebook. Property management software in Kenya should start from that reality: take the M-Pesa payment, match it to the right tenant and the right month, and tell both sides straight away. That is what HomeManager does. This page covers what it does for Kenyan landlords, agents and caretakers, and how it is priced. If you are comparing options first, our guide to the best property management software sets out what to look for. For the same product in other countries, see the country overview.
Collecting rent by M-Pesa
Kenya is the one country where HomeManager integrates with M-Pesa directly, through Safaricom's Daraja platform, and it offers two ways to be paid.
STK Push
With STK Push the tenant gets a pop-up on their phone for the exact amount, enters their M-Pesa PIN and the money goes to your account. No Paybill number or account name to type, so no payments fall into the wrong account through a typing mistake. The payment is matched to the tenant's invoice and the tenant gets a receipt by SMS or email. Our STK Push guide walks through the flow and the set-up.
Paybill and Till
You can enter your own Paybill or Till number, so rent lands in your business account. Tenants who pay to your Paybill are matched to their invoice from the payment notification, which is how most Kenyan landlords already collect. If you are deciding between the two, read Paybill vs Till for rent collection, and for the whole picture, the M-Pesa rent collection guide.
Cards, and recording by hand
Tenants who would rather pay by card can do so through Pesapal, which also works in Kenya. And anything paid outside the system, such as a bank transfer or cash, you record by hand against the invoice. Nothing is left floating.
Invoicing, water and late fees
Each tenant gets one invoice a month on the date you choose. It carries the rent plus any water, garbage or other charges, so the tenant sees a single figure and you chase a single figure. Invoices are created automatically, so the first of the month no longer means an afternoon at the keyboard.
Water. Water is the charge that causes the most arguments in Kenyan rentals. HomeManager turns a meter reading into a bill using the rate you set, whether each unit has its own sub-meter or the building shares one. The working is in our water billing guide.
Late fees. You choose the grace period and the penalty; the fee is applied after the deadline without anyone having to remember. Before you set a rule, read the guide to rent late fees, and for the other half of the problem, how to reduce late rent payments.
Reminders and receipts. Tenants with a balance receive SMS and email reminders, and every confirmed payment generates a receipt with the date, amount and reference. That receipt is the answer to "I already paid" disputes.
eTIMS and KRA records
HomeManager has a KRA eTIMS integration for Kenya, so invoices can carry a fiscal receipt. Whether and how you must use eTIMS depends on your own circumstances, so confirm it with KRA or a tax adviser rather than relying on a software page.
What the software does take off your hands is the record keeping. Every invoice, payment and expense sits in one place, which makes it far easier to work out the income you declare. To see what that tax looks like, read the KRA rental income tax guide and try the rental income tax calculator.
Caretakers and agents
In most Kenyan buildings a caretaker is the person on the ground, and the common mistake is to let the caretaker collect rent as well. Putting payments through M-Pesa to your own account removes that risk and leaves the caretaker doing what only a person can do. Caretaker software explains how a caretaker can take part, for example by submitting meter readings, without seeing the money. If you are weighing an agency against doing it yourself, caretaker vs software and property management fees lay out the costs.
Agents and property managers who run several landlords' buildings can keep each property separate, with its own units and reports, inside one account.
Pricing
HomeManager is priced by number of units. Every plan includes every feature and unlimited users, and there is a 30-day free trial with no card required.
- Starter: $59/month, up to 20 units
- Growth: $139/month, up to 100 units
- Scale: $349/month, up to 500 units
- Enterprise: custom pricing above 500 units
Plans are published in US dollars. Your tenants' invoices and receipts are in Kenya shillings.
Who needs it in Kenya
- Landlords with five or more units, where matching M-Pesa messages by hand starts to cost real time.
- Agents and property managers who answer to owners and need statements they can defend.
- Diaspora landlords who cannot check the building and need the numbers online. See property management for diaspora landlords.
- Landlords who bill water and are tired of disputes about it.
If you have two units and one reliable tenant, a notebook may be enough, and we say so in our comparison of software and spreadsheets.
Try HomeManager free for 30 days
Every plan includes every feature and unlimited users, and plans differ only by the number of units: Starter $59/month (up to 20 units), Growth $139/month (up to 100 units), Scale $349/month (up to 500 units). No card is needed for the trial.
Start Free TrialFrequently Asked Questions
Which property management software works with M-Pesa in Kenya?
HomeManager collects rent by M-Pesa STK Push, which sends a prompt to the tenant's phone for their PIN, and also matches payments made to your Paybill. Payments are matched to the tenant's invoice automatically and a receipt is sent. Cards are available through Pesapal.
Can I use my own Paybill or Till number?
Yes. You enter your own Paybill or Till number and the M-Pesa credentials that go with it, so tenants pay into your account and not into one belonging to HomeManager.
Does HomeManager work with KRA eTIMS?
HomeManager has a KRA eTIMS integration for Kenya, which is how invoices can get a fiscal receipt. What tax you owe, and whether you must register or file, depends on your own situation. See our KRA rental income tax guide or ask the KRA or a tax adviser.
Can it bill water by meter reading?
Yes. You enter each unit's meter reading, the water charge is worked out from your rate and added to the tenant's monthly invoice alongside rent and other charges. Our water billing guide explains sub-meter and shared-meter billing.
How much does it cost, and is there a free trial?
Plans are priced by units: Starter $59 a month (up to 20 units), Growth $139 (up to 100 units) and Scale $349 (up to 500 units), each with every feature and unlimited users. Tenant invoices are in Kenya shillings. There is a 30-day free trial with no card required.