Banks in Kenya have rolled out stringent measures targeting landlords following an increase in cases of collapsing buildings.
The banks will not be issuing loans to contractors unless assured of occupational safety measures have been put in place.
The new stringent measures were announced by Simba Ondimu Nakuru County Director for Occupational Safety and Health Services.
Through a press conference he announced that before any contractor can get a construction loan, the owner must provide the bank with a Certificate of Registration of a building or a construction site from respective county DOSH offices.
Ondimu added that insurance companies will also be demanding a certificate from DOSH before they insure a building.
The new directive from the banks will will ensure that landlords put up buildings that adhere to all required structural and safety standards.
Most of the buildings that have collapsed have been found to be substandard and not adhering to construction permit requirements.
Mombasa County governor Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir had to halt construction of 162 buildings last week because they couldn’t meet the minimum safety standards.
Similarly, Nairobi County Governor Johnson Sakaja ordered a crackdown on all houses to ensure they were meeting the required standards.
The National Construction Authority noted in a report that 3/10 buildings in Nairobi are do not meet basic minimum standards and pose danger to the public.
