LSK Conditions of Sale in property sale agreements
Law Society of Kenya · sources read 4 Oct 2026
The LSK Conditions of Sale 2015 are standard terms that apply to a property sale agreement that refers to them, unless the agreement changes or excludes them. By default the buyer pays a 10% deposit to the seller's advocate, and completion is 90 days after the agreement date.
- Where
- Free PDF on the LSK website (Downloads page). Your advocate builds it into the sale agreement.
What you need
- From the seller: certified copies of the title (or an abstract of title) from the lands registry
- From the seller: a certified copy of the deed plan or survey map showing the boundaries
- From the seller (if an individual): a copy of their ID card or other valid ID
Steps
- Check that your agreement says it is subject to the LSK Conditions of Sale (2015), and read any special conditions. Where they clash, the special conditions in your agreement win.
- Buyer: pay the deposit to the seller's advocate on or before the date of the agreement. The advocate holds it as a stakeholder, not for the seller to spend.
- Seller: within 14 days of the agreement, give the buyer or their advocate proof of title, at no cost to the buyer.
- Complete on the date set in the agreement or, if none is set, on the 90th day after the agreement date. The advocates swap the completion documents for the balance of the price.
Watch out
- Agreements signed before the 2015 Conditions were adopted still follow the LSK Conditions of Sale 1989.
- If the buyer fails to complete after a notice to complete, the seller may cancel and keep a deposit of up to 10% of the price plus interest.
- Unless agreed otherwise, the buyer pays the stamp duty, and the seller's advocate presents the agreement for assessment.
Who this covers
- Buyers and sellers of land or buildings whose sale agreement brings in the Conditions, in full or in part, by referring to them.
Official sources (2)
- Downloads lsk.or.ke · read 4 Oct 2026
- Law Society of Kenya Conditions of Sale and Agreement for Sale Layout (November 2015) lsk.or.ke · read 4 Oct 2026