Rental Income Tracker for Kenyan Landlords: Excel Template for Rent, Expenses and MRI Tax (2026)

If you collect rent from even one tenant in Kenya, you already run a small business. The question is whether your records can keep up. Rent arrives by M-Pesa, bank transfer and sometimes cash. Repairs, agent fees and land rates leave through yet another channel. Then on the 20th of every month, KRA expects a Monthly Rental Income (MRI) return based on what you collected.

A good rental income tracker fixes this. This guide explains what a Kenyan landlord should record, how to structure it in Excel, and how to turn those records into your MRI figure without doing sums every month.

Why Kenyan landlords need a rental income tracker

Most landlords start with a notebook or a WhatsApp chat with the caretaker. That works for one house. It breaks down quickly when you have several units, a tenant pays late, or you need to prove what you earned for a loan application, a tax compliance certificate or a KRA review.

A proper tracker gives you four things:

• Accurate tax: you pay MRI on what you actually received, no more and no less.
• A paper trail: every receipt has a date, amount, method and reference number.
• Arrears visibility: you can see who has paid and who has not.
• Peace of mind: if KRA asks questions, your answers take minutes, not days.

What MRI tax means for your records

For residential rent, Monthly Rental Income tax is currently 7.5% of gross rent. It applies to landlords whose annual rent is between KES 288,000 and KES 15 million, and it is due by the 20th of the following month through iTax. Expenses are not deducted under MRI.

That last point matters. Because MRI is charged on gross rent, the most important number in your records is simply rent received in the month. Expenses still matter for your own profit picture and if you are ever required to use the normal annual regime. For the full filing walkthrough, read our complete guide to filing MRI tax in Kenya.

Quick example: if you collect KES 81,000 in rent in October, your MRI is 81,000 x 7.5% = KES 6,075, payable by 20 November.

What to record for every rent payment

Whatever tool you use, capture the same details each time:

• Date received
• Property and unit or house number
• Tenant name
• Amount in KES
• Payment method (M-Pesa, bank transfer, cash, cheque)
• Receipt or transaction reference
• The month the payment covers

What to record for expenses

Log each expense with a category and a description: agent or management fees, repairs and maintenance, land rates, ground rent, insurance, loan interest, legal fees, security and service charge. Even though MRI does not deduct them, tracking expenses shows your real net income per property and prepares you if you move to the normal regime (for example, if you earn above KES 15 million a year or rent commercial property).

Why one ledger beats many sheets

Many landlords keep a sheet per property or per month, then spend hours combining them. A better design is a single ledger where every rent receipt and every expense is one row, with a Type column that separates the two. Summaries then build themselves with formulas, and your records stay in date order, which is exactly what you want in a reconciliation or review.

A ready-made option: the Karatasi Rental Income & Tax Tracker

If you would rather not build this from scratch, the Karatasi Rental Income & Tax Tracker is an Excel workbook designed around the one-ledger approach for Kenyan landlords. It includes:

• A Transactions sheet for rent and expenses, with dropdowns so you never mistype a property or category
• A Properties rent roll with tenants, units, deposits, lease dates and occupancy
• A Dashboard showing rent received, expenses, net cash and MRI payable, by property
• A Tax Summary with month-by-month MRI at 7.5%, the 20th-of-the-month due date, an automatic threshold check, and a normal-regime calculation with allowable expenses
• Editable tax rates and thresholds in case KRA changes them

It opens with sample data so you can see how it works, then you replace it with your own. It costs KES 1,000, once.

A simple monthly routine

1. Record each rent payment the day it arrives.
2. Record expenses as you pay them and keep the receipt.
3. Around the 15th, check the Tax Summary for the month's MRI figure.
4. File and pay on iTax by the 20th.
5. Note any tenants in arrears and follow up.

Ten minutes a week beats a frantic weekend before the deadline.

Frequently asked questions

What is the MRI tax rate in Kenya?

7.5% of gross residential rent, for landlords earning between KES 288,000 and KES 15 million a year. Always confirm the current rate on the KRA website.

When is MRI due?

By the 20th day of the month following the month you received the rent.

Can I deduct expenses from MRI?

No. MRI is a final tax on gross rent. Expenses are only deducted under the normal annual regime.

Can I use Excel to track rental income for KRA?

Yes. KRA does not require a particular tool, only accurate records you can support with receipts and statements. Excel works well when you keep one consistent ledger.

Do I need a tracker if I only have one rental unit?

Yes, if your rent exceeds KES 288,000 a year, because MRI applies. A tracker also makes it easy to show income history when applying for credit.

This article is general information, not tax advice. Rates and thresholds can change, so confirm your position with KRA or a qualified tax adviser.