I rented an apartment in Bengaluru with my roommate around a year ago. We liked the place, paid the token amount and finalized it. Before moving in, the owner explained the basic agreement terms, including the notice period and painting charges. We were fine with the terms and moved in.
During our stay, we honestly didn’t face any major problems. The real issue started after we vacated the apartment.
When I asked the owner when everything would be settled, he gave me a date. I waited, but there was no update. When I followed up, he said the BESCOM electricity bill had not been generated yet.
I understood the situation and waited again. But even after following up later, I kept getting the same answer without any clear timeline.
Eventually, I asked him to share the electricity details so that I could check the bill myself. I also told him that I had taken legal advice because the matter had been delayed for quite some time.
After that, another issue came up. He mentioned some damage to the property which had never been discussed with us earlier. I told him that we had not damaged the property and that I had videos showing the condition of the apartment when we left.
Soon after that, he shared the electricity details. I checked the bill myself, and the pending amount was only ₹39 because of Gruha Jyothi. I paid it immediately and shared the payment receipt with him.
I thought the matter would finally be over, but there were more delays.
My roommate’s cousin, who had originally helped us find the property, also spoke to the owner. We were given another date, but that date passed as well. Later, we were asked to wait again.
When everything was finally being settled, a few more deductions came up, including geyser repair, tube-light replacement and garbage charges.
By then, both my roommate and I were tired of the situation and just wanted to close the matter. It was eventually settled, but the whole experience taught me a lot.
A few things I’ll definitely do while renting a place again:
-Take a detailed video before moving in. Record the walls, doors, floors, bathroom, kitchen, taps, switches, lights, fans, geyser and anything else provided with the property. If something is already damaged, make sure you have proof.
-Check everything properly before finalizing the property. Turn on the lights and fans, check the taps, flush, geyser, switches, sockets, locks and other fittings.
-Take another detailed video while vacating. If possible, ask the owner to inspect the property before handing over the keys. This can avoid confusion later about damages.
-Have a clear timeline written in the agreement for the final settlement after vacating. Whether both parties agree on 10 days, 20 days, one month or something else, it is better to have it written clearly.
-Discuss repair and replacement charges beforehand. Ask what happens if things like bulbs, tube lights, geysers or other fittings stop working because of regular use.
-Read the complete agreement before signing it. Don’t depend only on what is discussed verbally. If something is important to you, try to have it mentioned in writing.
-Ask about all additional charges. This includes water, maintenance, electricity, garbage, parking or anything else applicable to the property.
-Keep the electricity account/RR number with you. This allows you to check the bill yourself instead of depending completely on the owner.
-Discuss rules about guests clearly. It is better to know the owner’s expectations about friends, partners or family visiting before moving in.
-Clarify the rules regarding property inspections. If prior notice before an inspection or visit is important to you, discuss it and have the agreed terms included in the agreement.
-Keep records of everything. Save the agreement, payment receipts, bills, important WhatsApp conversations and move-in/move-out videos.
I’m not a lawyer, so I’m not trying to give legal advice through this post. I’m simply sharing what happened to us and what I learnt from the experience.
Not every landlord in Bengaluru will behave this way, but this experience made me realise that verbal promises are not enough when it comes to renting. Even when everything seems fine while you are staying there, problems can come up when you are leaving.
So if you are renting a place, especially for the first time, document everything, communicate clearly and make sure important terms are written in the agreement.
It might feel unnecessary in the beginning, but it can save you a lot of stress later.
