PREMIUM When your landlord decides to build over your head... Property owners around Nairobi and other towns are adding rooms and floors to existing buildings to squeeze more rental income. DN2 Just now

These may not appear to be structural emergencies, but they affect the quality of life for people who have paid for the place they are living in, therefore, communication should form part of any major construction project in an occupied residential building.

Physical and Land Use Planning Act also warns that commencing unauthorised development or extensions without a permit attracts county fines of up to Sh500,000, imprisonment for up to two months, or both under national planning laws The National Building Code, 2024, which is now the country's current building framework, also sets requirements for structural safety and professional involvement in building design and construction.

With young children living in the building, the sight of construction materials, tools and workers moving around freely raised an uncomfortable question: How safe is a home when construction is taking place directly above it?