News: Small vs Large Flat Owners: Society Costs Squeeze Buyers-15-05-2026

Nimesh Shah (name changed), 35, thought a 3BHK in a premium housing society in Mumbai’s suburbs was the aspirational address he had worked for. He earns nearly Rs 6 lakh a month and stretched his finances to buy into a luxury tower that also has 4 and 5BHK flats.

Soon after possession, residents unhappy with the look of the lobby proposed redoing its interiors and asked owners to pay from their own pockets. Shah was already paying an EMI of nearly Rs 2.75 lakh and spending Rs 2 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh a month on household and lifestyle costs. He said he suddenly felt trapped, with even one unplanned society expense causing stress because most of his income was committed.

His case reflects a concern surfacing in luxury townships and premium gated communities in Mumbai, Pune and Bengaluru: the financial gap between owners of the smallest flats and those with much larger homes in the same complex. Real estate consultants say discretionary spending on aesthetics, amenities, events and upgrades is often driven by residents of bigger flats with far more disposable income. For those who stretched to get in, such recurring costs become hard to absorb.

The subject came up again after a viral Reddit post from a housing society in Karnataka alleged that residents of 1 BHK and 1 RK flats were barred from the gym and swimming pool even though maintenance was collected from everyone.

Dipesh Joshi, a Mumbai-based real estate consultant, said residents in mixed-size projects pay different maintenance amounts and have different spending capacities, which can divide a society when decisions on clubhouse use, parking allocation or sinking funds come up.

According to Joshi, Shah had lived in South Mumbai, sold a smaller flat and bought a bigger one in a semi-luxury suburban township. A year later he found it unsustainable, as owners of 4- and 5-BHK flats differed with 3-BHK owners over daily upkeep and financing. Joshi advised him to sell and buy in a nearby project, though he acknowledged that downgrading is not an easy decision.

A developer who did not wish to be named said township projects in Pune and Bengaluru offer 1, 2, 3 and 4 BHK flats in different buildings, but such a mix is rare in Mumbai. Projects there usually offer 1 and 2 BHK, or 2 and 3 BHK, or 3, 4 and 5 BHK, which the developer called a safe mix for viability. Land shortage is one reason developers keep the mix sharply targeted.

Another prominent developer said Mumbai’s development control regulations generally do not restrict the apartment mix, so 1-5 BHKs can be offered in one society. Restrictions arise mainly in special schemes such as MHADA, SRA or redevelopment projects with rehab or affordable housing obligations. In practice, the developer said, the mix is driven by economics, FSI efficiency, parking norms and market demand.