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A startup founder shared the couple’s harrowing experience on LinkedIn and termed it as “modern-day exploitation” by landlords in Bengaluru.
In yet another episode of rental woes in Bengaluru, a couple was denied security deposit as the landlord refused a refund, citing maintenance issues. (Representative image: Getty)
“Bengaluru landlords are a menace,” remarked startup founder Shravan Tickoo after learning about a couple’s ordeal with their rented flat. The couple, who paid ₹55,000 per month in rent, ended up spending over Rs 1 lakh on maintenance issues that the landlord refused to address. To make matters worse, when they vacated the property, their ₹1.75 lakh deposit was withheld.
In a LinkedIn post, Tickoo shared that the landlord cited “flat maintenance” as the reason for withholding their security deposit. He termed this as “modern-day exploitation”, warning “non-natives” who relocate to the city to make it big.
“I recently saw a case where a couple moved into a society for a 2BHK with an astronomical rent of Rs 55,000. The couple paid the rent every month, but whenever there was leakage or any issue with the property, the landlord didn’t even pick up the phone. Instead, they communicated through the property maintenance person, saying, ‘It’s your headache to fix it,’ even though it was clearly a property issue. The couple ended up spending over Rs 1 lakh fixing these issues from their own pocket,” Tickoo wrote on LinkedIn.
He added, “When they finally left the flat, the owner refused to return their deposit of Rs 1.75 lakh. They sent an SMS saying, ‘The flat needs maintenance, so you shouldn’t get anything back.’”
When the couple suggested deducting a month’s rent and refunding the remaining deposit, the landlord reportedly dismissed their request, stating, “Do whatever you can, but this is what it is.”
Left with no legal recourse, the couple had no choice but to vacate the property and forfeit their deposit entirely.
Tickoo further said, “When it comes to increasing rent, landlords are the first to call and ping you, but when there’s a problem, it’s suddenly your problem…. I know some might think this is a one-off case, but trust me, I’ve seen this happen time and again with so many people.”
“To everyone who wishes to make it big in Bengaluru, my only request is: focus on people before you make a move here. Spend time on those who respect you for who you are, and be cautious while renting or purchasing homes. Otherwise, this city of dreams for so many of us can quickly turn into a nightmare you never expected,” he warned non-Bengalureans.
In response to the viral LinkedIn post, an individual suggested, “It would be good to see a platform where tenants and landlords rate each other .. this ought to solve this problem to a good extent if not completely.”
“It’s a generic issue not specific to Bengaluru only. I have faced similar situation in Delhi NCR as well,” said another social media user.
A third commented, “Bangalore has become uninhabitable.”
A Chartered Accountant (CA), who came across the post, suggested that people should take proactive steps from the start to avoid rental disputes. Yukti Sehgal suggested tenants get their rental agreement reviewed by a knowledgeable professional, document the property’s condition with photos, conduct a thorough inspection before moving in, and maintain all communications via email for a clear trail. She also said that the tenants should notify landlords three months prior to vacating, clarify deposit adjustments, and take exit photos. If the deposit is unfairly withheld, they should promptly send a legal notice as per the agreement’s terms.
