Factors influencing choice of rental houses among middle class residents of Nairobi county Kenya

Abstract

The study set out to establish factors influencing choice of rental houses among middle class residents of Nairobi County, Kenya. The objectives of the study are to establish the extent to which housing features influence the choice of rental house among middle class residents of Nairobi County, Kenya, to determine the influence of the physical environment on the choice of rental house among middle class residents of Nairobi County, Kenya, to establish the extent to which social factors influence the choice of rental house among middle class residents of Nairobi County, Kenya, to determine the influence oflevel of income on the choice of rental house among middle class residents of Nairobi County, Kenya. The study was conducted as a cross section survey. The target population was middle class residents of Highridge, Parklands, Ngara, Pangani, Avenue Park, Fedha, Pipeline, Donholm, Greenfields, Nyayo, Taasia, Baraka, Nairobi West, Madaraka, Siwaka, South B, South C, Mugoya, Riverbank, Hazina, Buru Buru, Uhuru, Harambee Civil Servants', Akiba, Kimathi, Pioneer, Koma Rock and Kasarani. To facilitate analysis, the estates were grouped into three groups namely Zone A, Zone B and Zone C which is based on the former Nairobi North, Nairobi East and Nairobi West Districts which was my strata. Stratified random sampling was used in this study. Data was collected by the researcher over a period of four weeks by the use of self-administered questionnaires which were given to the sampled participants after reading out the letter of transmittal to them. This was done after authority is granted by the administration of the learning institution .All questionnaires were edited and responses coded before data was entered into the computer by the use of the Statistical Program for Social Scientists (SPSS), version 20.0.Cross tabulation was the main method for data analysis. After analysis, data was summarised and presented in form of frequency tables and percentages. The study found out that no single factor can be considered as the only important factor in choosing a rental house among the middle class residents of Nairobi county. It was also noted that the preferences for each of the three zones were unique. From this research we can with a high degree of certainty conclude that security and level of income are the two most important factors to consider in choosing a rental because they were ranked as very important with a percentage of 90.3% and 80.3% respectively. The recommendations given by the researcher were that the Kenyan government and stakeholders in the housing sector should work together to ensure security is maintained in the estates and that houses built should be affordable and of good quality. Considering that one of the reasons given by those who intend to move was owning their own house, the researcher recommends that a study be done on the most preferred home ownership option.