Money is not everything, says landlord after forgoing Ksh74, 000 in rent relief

By Harrison Kivisu

A rental houses owner in Mombasa has forgone Ksh74, 000 after he asked his tenants not to remit May 2020 rent.

Godfrey Juma, who owns a residential building that has six units in Majaoni, Shanzu, allowed his tenants -- who pay monthly rent in the range of Ksh10, 000 to Ksh13, 500 -- to occupy the units for free for the month of May, saying he was cognizant of the economic hardship wrought by coronavirus.

The building has two and one-bedroom units.

Juma, an operations manager at Bahari Beach Hotel, said most of his tenants work in the hospitality industry, which has been hardest-hit by coronavirus, which broke out in Kenya in February 2020.

“Most of them (tenants) were forced to take unpaid leave,” he told K24 Digital.

“Some of my tenants even lost their jobs. It became nearly impossible for them to raise the May 2020 rent,” he said.

Juma said he has asked his tenants to pay the June 2020 rent, but, at the same time, said he might consider extending the rent relief to July 2020 should Kenya’s economic situation fail to improve.

“Money is not everything in life,” he said.

“I take satisfaction in seeing people safe and happy even when times are hard. Yes, I will lose almost Ksh100, 000 in the forgone rent, but my heart will be at peace knowing that my tenants are comfortable and safe,” he said.

One of Juma’s tenants, Flovian Kunga, who deals in second-hand clothes, said her business was badly affected by the coronavirus crisis, and was wondering where she would raise the May 2020 rent.

“I pay a monthly rent of Ksh12, 500. The landlord’s decision to waive the May rent has provided so much relief to us. I am now left with the task of looking for food only,” she said.

Julie Atieno, who is a hotelier by profession, said since hotels were closed, she had no alternative source of income, and has warmly welcomed Juma’s move to waive the monthly accommodation fee.