A comparative study on the effect of accessibility on rental value in storied commercial buildings in Kampala.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to establish the impact of accessibility on rental value in storiedcommercial buildings in Kampala central business district in Uganda. The assessment was doneusing accessibility modes namely lifts, ramps, doorways, signage, number of floors, light, timeof construction, ownership status, type of use. The investigation was based on building statisticsfrom UBOS and KCCA. The findings showed that the one building lacked most forms of access; through insufficient or lack of a ramp, enough space, signage and lifts with only the stairs present. However the other building in contrast had accessibility facilities which include a lift, signage and stairs. They also found that rent has increased over time no matter the accessibility status of the commercial building. In light of these findings, there is need by both the government and KCCA, and indeed other local government authorities to ensure that new buildings are constructed with accessibility features. There is also need for existing buildings to be reassessed and incorporated with these features. Furthermore, government and other stakeholders should ensure more rent is generated from accessible buildings through increased subsidies and lower taxes on property owners as a way of motivating up to date construction. The biggest challenge faced during the study was poor understanding of the topic and related questions by respondents. Also landlords and property managers were reluctant to release data pertaining rent paid.