Know your rights

What a tenant can expect

Renting in India runs on an 11-month agreement, a deposit and a lot of word of mouth. These are the things that are usually in your favour, the things to get in writing, and the things to check before you pay a deposit. Rules differ by state, so treat this as a map, not legal advice.

In Bengaluru, tenants recorded 292 deposits: 57% came back in full, half of the returns within 20 days, and painting was deducted in 11%. 11% got nothing back.

From reviews on rentedhere, as tenants recorded them. Not a survey.See Bengaluru's homes where the deposit came back in full

The deposit

The deposit is yours. It is security against unpaid rent and damage beyond normal wear and tear, not a fee. Painting after a normal stay is wear and tear in most disputes.
Ask for every deduction in writing with a bill. A handwritten slip is not a bill.
The Model Tenancy Act (2021) suggests a cap of two months' rent for homes, and a refund within a month of moving out. States that adopted it enforce it; elsewhere it is the benchmark to negotiate against. Bengaluru's ten-month deposits are custom, not law.
Before you pay, read the home's record here: the deposits before yours, how long they took, and the owner's handle across their other homes.

Moving in

Most deposit disputes are won or lost on the first day. Tick these off as you go; the ticks stay on this phone.

Photos and a video of every room, with the dateWalls, floors, fittings, the inside of cupboards. Send them to the owner the same day.
Meter readings, photographedElectricity, water and gas, so the last tenant's bills aren't yours.
An inventory of what's in the homeFans, lights, geysers, furniture, with their condition. Both of you sign it.
The keys and access cards, countedWrite the count in the inventory; a missing key is a common deduction.
The agreement, signed, with your copyCheck the deposit amount, the refund terms, the lock-in and the notice period.
Receipts for every paymentDeposit, rent and maintenance. Rent receipts with the owner's PAN are what HRA needs.

0 of 6 done · kept on this phone only

The agreement

Read the lock-in and the notice period before signing. One month's notice each way is common; a lock-in longer than the notice period means you pay rent for months you do not live there.
An 11-month agreement is usually notarised, not registered. A registered agreement costs more but is stronger evidence if things go wrong.
Rent increases happen at renewal, not in the middle of a term, unless the agreement says otherwise. Ten percent a year is custom in many cities, not a rule.
Keep every receipt. Rent receipts with the owner's PAN are also what you need for HRA.

Living there

The owner needs your consent to enter. Notice before a visit is reasonable; a key the owner uses without asking is not.
Society rules about bachelors, pets or non-veg food bind the owner, and through the agreement, you. Ask before you sign, not after. The Societies page shows what tenants reported.
Repairs to the structure, plumbing and wiring are the owner's to fix. Small fixes from daily use are usually yours. Agree who pays maintenance before you move in.
Police verification is a form the owner files; you only need to give the details. It is not a reason to delay your move-in.

Moving out

Give notice in writing, with the date, and keep a copy. A WhatsApp message counts if it is clear.
Walk through the home with the owner on the last day and agree the deductions there. Leave with the deposit agreed in writing, even if it is paid later.
If a deposit is withheld without reason, a legal notice from a lawyer resolves most cases; small-claims and rent courts handle the rest. Your rentedhere review helps the next tenant either way.
Still waiting? The deposit tracker counts the days for each home you reviewed, and nudges you if the deposit is still pending a month after you move out.

Deposit reminder

A month has gone by and the deposit hasn't? Write the date and the amount and you get a polite message to send the owner, with the one-month benchmark in it.

Moved out onDeposit, ₹The home · optional

Fill in the date you moved out and the deposit to see the message. Nothing you type here leaves your phone.

Before paying a depositRead the home's record here: the deposits before yours, the owner's handle, the water and the lift as tenants reported them.

When you move outRecord your stay in a few minutes: the deposit, the days it took, what was kept and why. Anonymous, verified, read by the next tenant.

Review a home you rented Explore the map

How a tenancy gets its “verified” tick: how verification works. Something on a home's record is wrong? Disputes and corrections.

This page explains common practice and the Model Tenancy Act as a benchmark. It is not legal advice. Laws differ by state; for a dispute, speak to a lawyer or your state's rent authority.