Bengaluru house owners

Why do onlycharge 10-months’ rent as deposit?Searching for a house in Bengaluru may be a Herculean task; but dealing with the house owners is even tougher, what with their demand for 10 months’ rent as advance deposit from which a host of deductions are made citing "invisible" charges when the house is vacated. Now, a Bengaluru-based writer, Rachelle C, has launched a campaign to enforce uniform rental laws across the city for security deposit. She has shot off mails to the chief minister highlighting the main issues of the tenants.“Are you paying 10 months’ rent as deposit whenever you get a house for rent in Bangalore? The New Model Tenancy Act 2011 (a proposed act), suggests not more than three months' rent as deposit and a host of other tenant-friendly rules that would benefit both, owners and tenants, alike."In Bengaluru, tenants have to cough up a ridiculous 10 months’ rent as security deposit and pay for repainting charges, which is usually one month’s rent. No other city in India does this crime. Many landlords get away with this; worse, we don’t even get the full deposit back as landlords charge damages for unnecessary things. Also, the original agreement must be given to the tenants which is not followed, often citing various reasons. There must be a fast-track rent tribunal which can take in the interests of tenants and if the landlords are giving problems, we must be able to file an FIR or go to court for money fraud,” reads her campaign which is receiving a lot of responses on Facebook from those being harassed by the owners.She has appealed for the petition to be signed with an eye on protecting the interests of the tenants and to ensure that landlords don’t extract money from them. The appeal also includes urging people to sign the petition so the Model Tenancy Act 2011 is passed.Rachelle told Bangalore Mirror that while scouting for houses on Facebook groups and otherwise, she came across people complaining about owners asking 10-months’ rent as deposit in bulk, that too as an immediate payment.“I am from Bengaluru and have heard that in many cities across India, not more than three-four months’ rent as deposit is the norm. Since many of my friends and acquaintances came to Bengaluru from other cities, they were shocked to find the 10-months’ rent as deposit being the norm,” she said.She points out that the worst are PGs (paying guests) or owners who let out a 3BHK or 4BHK for multiple people but take Rs 50,000 rupees per head as deposit, making money off each person.“There is no regulation for this. Also, the broker takes one month’s rent as his charges (fees). Painting charges that come under ‘normal wear and tear’ is also charged as one month’s rent. The bill for painting charges are not provided as they just cut one month’s rent. An owner can evict a tenant if they don’t pay rent for more than three months, but no provision in law is there for tenants to approach the police whether it is owners harassing or deducting money for damages or anything. I came across the Model Tenancy Act 2011 (drafts) which are much more favourable to the tenants and hence started the campaign, hoping they would pass the act,” she said.She cited an example of her friend who paid Rs 1 lakh as deposit and stayed in the place for more than two years. When he had to vacate, he received only Rs 40,000 and the rest was not given citing various issues. When the friend complained and refused to vacate without receiving the deposit money, the owner threatened to hire goons and her friend had no option but to vacate without getting his full monies.Her friend’s case is as not an isolated one as there are thousands in the city facing these problems on a daily basis.“My main focus is that security deposit has to be regulated. Right now, state governments have the power to decide the rent laws. But it has to be centralised; at least the advance/deposit money (throughout India- not more than three months deposit should be taken.Otherwise local influential people take advantage),” Rachelle says. “Secondly, damages should be specifically mentioned. Right now, owners charge damage for everything (including house being dirty, not well-kept and painting charges). This will stop owners from deducting money unnecessarily for damages.“Thirdly, a fast-track court/tribunal must be established, so tenants can file FIR against owners if they have any complaints, so they can resolve it within months. Right now, only owners can evict tenants legally.“Fourthly, students and single working women face the most problems as they are new to the city and don’t know the language and are exploited unnecessarily in the name of huge deposits. This will be a huge benefit as Bengaluru has many people who come to work and study and owners have found a nice way to make money out of this, “she said.Rachelle’s mails sent to the chief minister’s official email ID given in the state government’s website, however, evoked no responses.I have been working in the Bengaluru for the past one year had to change houses thrice as I was new to Bengaluru and it took me a little time to get a perfect place. All the three times I have paid 10 months rent as an advance amount. It is not so in Kolkata where I hail from. It is just three months rent taken as advance. I have a never got the whole advance that I paid back on vacating the house as well. The owner once cut one month rent and the second time he cut two months rent saying it is for cleaning purposesI shifted to Bengaluru four years back to do my engineering, after that I stayed back to do my MBA as well. I have shifted twice during this duration and both the times I was charged 10 months rent as advance . When I vacated my first house which was in Banashankari, one month of my rent was cut from the advance as cleaning charges. Since the I had to shift immediately due to personal reason I even had to give one month rent as notice period chargesI shifted to Bengaluru last year. I took a place at just behind Christ college. I had to pay Rs 80,000 as advance which was my 10 months rent. As a student arranging so much money was difficult and hence requested the owner to reduce it. However, this was the standard procedure in Bengaluru and he could do nothing about it. Not knowing about the rules and as I was in urgent need of a house I agreed to pay the amount