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Questions to Ask Your Landlord Before Renting A House in India

People move all across India, be it for better jobs, for their families, or to settle down in a city of their dreams. When you move, the first thing that you look for is a place to live. Be it a small 1BHK to lavish villas, the renting process is pretty much the same and the questions you need to ask your landlord are also the same.

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If you want your stay in your rented house to go smoothly, you can avoid a lot of trouble by asking the right questions, such as –

What’s Included in the Rent?

Most of us choose houses to rent based on the location, bedrooms and most importantly our budget. For example, when we hear the apartment rent is only Rs.25,000, and that’s what the budget was, we instantly decide to take it up. What you don’t take into consideration is that the apartment rent might cover the very basics and you will have to pay extra for everything else, this way you go much over your budget. So, before taking the house, you need to ask your landlord what the apartment rent covers, like is the water included in the rent? Some landlords ask the tenants to pay extra for parking, for electricity, for water, and some include it in the rent amount. Only when you ask this question, will you be able to budget well and avoid surprise expenses.

Who pays utilities?
Utility payment

When is Rent Due and How do I Pay it?

Some landlords are ok with tenants paying rent on the date that they moved in, so if you move in on the 15th, you will pay rent on the 15th of each month. Some landlords prefer if you pay at the beginning of each month and give you a cut-off date. The cut-off date will be the last day by which you have to pay your rent if you miss this date you might end up paying a penalty. It’s best to ask this question before you move in, this way you can plan your payments in advance. You need to also ask what mode of payment your landlord is comfortable with. Some are particular about paying the rent by cash or cheque and some prefer online transfers. When you know their preferred payment method, you can remove any inconvenience that you might cause.
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Paying rent
Paying rent

How Much of the Security Deposit is Refundable?

Before you move into a rented house you pay a deposit amount to your landlord. This deposit is like a collateral amount that the landlord takes as a way to protect their property from damage. There are some tenants who leave the house in shambles, they destroy the house and leave the owner with a lot of repairs to cover. In such cases, the deposit money will help them cover the damage. Almost all owners keep back some of the security deposit for general maintenance after you leave. It’s best to find out how much they plan to keep back for this amount. You can even request that they give you the entire amount back and inform them that you will get the painting and maintenance done when you’re leaving.

Security Deposit
Security deposit

How Much Notice Do I Need to Give Before Vacating?

Landlords need a little heads up before you leave, you can’t decide to vacate overnight or even over a week. They need time to find another tenant as many landlords depend on the rent you pay for their monthly expenses; they will even need time to arrange for the security deposit. Some landlords ask for a two-month notice period, some are ok with a month, and some make exceptions for even less. If you’re in a job where you need to pick up and leave overnight, you might need to let your owner know and ask them how much notice time they require. This will save you a lot of unnecessary trouble in the end.
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 Is there a Penalty for Breaking my Agreement?

When you can’t pay rent, when you have to move out without notice, or if you break any of the other rules in your Rental Agreement, your landlord will usually collect a penalty amount from you. This penalty amount needs to be specified in advance so that it doesn’t come as a shock to you, and it will also help you manage your finances better. You will also be able to plan how much of the deposit is remaining after all the penalties are adjusted on that amount.

Financial Penalty
Financial penalty

Who Pays the Maintenance?

This is a question that you must ask your landlord, especially if you live in a building society or gated community. Here, maintenance fees are collected from all residents either monthly, quarterly, or annually. You need to ask your landlord if you are to pay the maintenance, who to pay this amount to, and is it included in the rent. For example, is it Rs.25,000 per month including maintenance or Rs.25,000 per month and an extra Rs.30,000 annually for maintenance? If you are paying rent that includes maintenance, then your landlord will be paying maintenance in this case. It is always better to be clear about this upfront.
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 What are the Rules on Guests?

Landlords often have rules about how many guests you can have in the house and how long guests stay. If you as a single person or couple take a house on rent, the landlord will estimate the cost of electricity and water and include that in the rent (if your rent is all-inclusive). But, when they find out that you have 4 guests who are living there for an extended period of time, that means that the water and electricity consumption automatically go up. This is why some landlords have very strict rules on how many guests you can have, how long they can stay and some even have rules on guests of the opposite gender staying over. If your landlord doesn’t have rules for guests, check what the rules are for the building society. I have bullied few people in societies for these policies when you ask what the apartment guest policy is, you can avoid a lot of trouble.

Rules and regulations of the house
Rules and regulations of the house

Are There Any Restrictions?

In a country like India, you need to ask your landlord this very important question. Many vegetarians don’t like meat being cooked in the house, some allow certain types of meat, some don’t allow you to even eat meat in the house. Apart from food, some landlords also don’t allow pets in the house, some allow only cats but not dogs, some allow small pets and so on. They might also have restrictions about parties, guests, loud music, smoking, and a lot more issues. It’s a good idea to find out what the restrictions are much before moving in. You will be stuck in a tough spot if you can’t comply with the restriction. At times, you might even be able to convince the landlord to allow certain things, so it’s always better to start your tenancy on a clean slate.
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Rules and regulations of the house
Questions about pets

If you are able to get clear answers about these important questions from your landlord, you can be sure that your stay there will go off without a hitch. Apart from just asking these questions, it’s a good idea to have it in writing in your Rental Agreement.

Don’t sign a Rental Agreement if you don’t accept the terms and conditions. And don’t sign it without going through all the termsand conditions either. If you need any assistance getting a Rental Agreement made, then let the experts at NoBroker help you.

Getting an LPG Connection at a Rental Home in India

Getting an LPG connection at a rental or lease home in India is just as simple as getting one in an owned home. You can go to your local LPG service provider and request a connection by providing the following key documents-

  • Rental/lease agreement
  • Aadhar card 
  • Passport sized photos
  • PAN card/ Voter ID card

You can apply for a gas connection online as well. Depending on the brand of the local LPG service provider, you find out about all the necessary documents to be produced by checking their website. 

If you’re still looking for a house to rent, it’s time you start your search on NoBroker by clicking below. There are thousands of homes available for each budget and requirement, so you’re sure to find a home here. The best part is, you get to save THOUSANDS on brokerage! 

FAQ’s

Q1. What is a notice period?

Ans. The notice period, in the context of renting, is the length or period of time before which either the tenant or the landlord can inform the other party of their intent to vacate, evict or increase rent.

Q2. How much security deposit can a landlord legally charge?

Ans. While the rules may vary from state to state, commonly landlords are only allowed to charge security deposits equivalent to two months’ rent. This deposit would be returned at the time of eviction or when the tenant vacates, along with certain deductions agreed to by both parties. 

Q3. Can my landlord enter the rental home without permission?

Ans. Under no circumstances can the landlord enter the rental property of the tenant without 24 hours prior notice. This includes reasons such as carrying out repairs, appliance services or replacement, etc. 

Q4. Can landlords cut off the water supply to rental units?

Ans. Landlords may not cut off basic necessities such as gas, water or electricity supplies even if the tenant has unpaid dues. If the landlord cuts off the necessary supplies, the local rent authority may step in, launch an investigation, impose penalties on the offending party, and award damages to the party that was wronged.

Q5. How long can landlords take before refunding a security deposit?

Ans. Owners are required to return security deposits to tenants within a month of the property being vacated. Prior to refunding the money, they may deduct the due amount from this (upon discussion with the renters and mutual consent).

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