Here are 5 things tenants in Bengaluru want from their landlords

According to a report by property consultancy Anarock, Bengaluru recorded the highest rental yield amongst the top seven cities in India during the first quarter of the ongoing calendar year at 4.45%.

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The Covid-19 pandemic exacerbated a demand-supply mismatch of housing units in India’s Silicon Valley, as restricted mobility disturbed construction cycles by six-eight months. On the other hand, with companies calling employees back to offices, demand for rental housing continues to grow, giving landlords the upper hand.

Here are five things tenants in the garden city want from their landlords

1. Lower security deposits

As opposed to the common practice of two-months’ worth of rent as security deposit to rent an apartment in major metro cities in India, landlords in Bengaluru, on an average, charge anywhere between 5-10 months of rent as safety deposits. Moreover, many landlords include additional clauses in rent contracts such as repainting charges when tenants vacate a property.

Local brokers blame this on an old mindset, which is beginning to witness a slow change, especially between younger landlords and students/early career professionals. Furthermore, albeit little, there is room for negotiation, citizens cited.

2. Greater privacy and reasonable restrictions

Landlords in Bengaluru have earned infamy in recent times for their eccentric demands from prospective tenants such as demanding resumes, income records and email approvals for guests to stay over, besides other stringent curbs.

“I would like to have agency over what I do within my space, as long as it’s legal,” said Prajwal Desai, a resident of Kasturi Nagar in north-east Bengaluru.

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“I’d want to have my pet, bring home my friends over the weekend and maybe have my favourite food with beer after a long day. I don’t see why the house owners feel they have the right to morally police me and my lifestyle,” Desai elaborated.

3. Infrastructure woes

Besides traffic woes, the IT capital is also prone to water issues. Starting mid-March, the capital city of Bengaluru faced a nearly three-month long acute water shortage due to depleted water levels resulting from a weak monsoon last year.

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“Definitely a regular water supply. My landlord doesn’t open the overhead tank enough for residents to enjoy regular water supply, which is a basic necessity. We only get running water on alternate days,” said Heena Kashyap, who rents a 2BHK in Lalbagh, 7 km south of the city centre.

4. Solid home fittings and fully functional electric points

Tenants, especially those renting expensive properties, believe that quality interior is a must. “ In upscale neighbourhoods, where tenants are already paying a bomb for renting a property amid a supply crunch, landlords must ensure good home fittings before handing over an apartment to a new tenant. Office goers cannot be bothered with these chores on weekends,” said Anirban Choudhury, who rents a 2BHK property in Kasturi Nagar.

5. Standard annual rent increases

Bengaluru has witnessed sharp hikes in rents across the city post the Covid-19 pandemic, with rents in prime areas rising by over 40%. Tenants believe that landlords must employ an ethical practice of increasing the annual rent within reasonable limits. “For those migrating to the city for better career opportunities, especially young professionals, a sudden hike in rents brings a lot of mental agony,” said a tenant who did not wish to be named.