A Bengaluru tenant new to the city has sparked a discussion on Reddit after expressing shock over some of the clauses mentioned in a rental agreement, including security deposit refund after 30 days of vacating the flat and painting charges equal to 30 days of rent.
This includes a requirement to vacate the property within two days in case of an alleged breach and an overstay charge of twice the monthly rent calculated on a per-day basis.
In a social media post, the tenant said they were surprised by several terms in the agreement and questioned whether such conditions were normal in the city’s rental market. The agreement reportedly states that the security deposit will be refunded 30 days after the tenant vacates the property.
Another clause requires the tenant to give a two-month notice before moving out. While notice periods and deductions for painting and cleaning are relatively common in rental agreements, the other clauses have raised questions about whether some conditions are excessive.
The overstay clause, for instance, reportedly allows the landlord to charge twice the monthly rent on a per-day basis if the tenant continues to occupy the property beyond the agreed date.
A security deposit is a refundable amount paid by a tenant at the start of a tenancy, and it remains the tenant’s money until the lease ends. A landlord may deduct legitimate dues such as unpaid rent, outstanding utility bills, costs of repairing damage beyond normal wear and tear, or expenses arising from a breach of the rental agreement. Legal experts say such deductions should be reasonable, clearly explained and supported by evidence where applicable.
The Reddit discussion was largely critical of the rental terms, with several users describing such clauses as unusually tenant-unfriendly.
One commenter said Bengaluru landlords often add extensive conditions to agreements and questioned whether tenants would actually receive most of their deposits back.
Others suggested negotiating the security-deposit refund at the time of key handover, limiting painting and cleaning deductions to one month’s rent, and reducing the notice period to one month.
Some users also said painting charges were not commonly imposed in Delhi-NCR unless there was damage beyond normal wear and tear. However, another landlord said they allowed tenants to arrange painting and cleaning themselves and deducted only for actual damage.
The post has renewed the debate around the need for tenants to carefully read rental agreements before signing them. Clauses relating to notice periods, deposit refunds, deductions and penalties can have a significant financial impact when a tenant decides to move out.
Real estate and legal experts generally advise tenants to clarify terms relating to the security deposit, the conditions under which deductions can be made, notice periods, maintenance responsibilities and penalties before signing an agreement.
Tenants should also seek clarity on what constitutes a breach of the agreement and whether the consequences and timelines mentioned in the contract are clearly defined, legal experts opine.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Hindustantimes.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them)
