News: Landlord Keeps Rs 55,000 Deposit Over Partner, Says Tenant-26-07-2026

A tenant’s Reddit post alleging that her landlord declined to renew her lease, told her to vacate and withheld her Rs 55,000 security deposit after learning that she lived with her unmarried male partner has set off an online debate on tenants’ rights, rental agreements and deposits.

Writing on the r/LegalAdviceIndia subreddit, the tenant said the flat was rented in her name. She claimed she told the broker about the arrangement at the start and was advised to present herself as the sole occupant, which she tried to do through the agreement.

According to the post, matters came to a head during an inspection. The tenant wrote that the wife, who owns the flat, came first and was told that a female friend visits and that the second setup was hers. The owner then allegedly demanded Rs 10,000 per month for all the months the friend had been there, while her husband asked for the friend’s details and said they would discuss it. As the couple were leaving, the tenant admitted that the other occupant was her male partner. Insults followed, she alleged, and the owners asked whether the broker had known.

The owner then said that because she had lied, the deposit would not be returned and she would have to pay Rs 29,000 rent for the next month despite being asked to leave on July 31, the post says. The tenant wrote that she agreed to give up the deposit during the heated exchange because she "just wanted the discussion to end", and later wondered about legal recourse.

She said she had lived there for only five months of an 11-month tenancy. The landlord had indicated she would not owe the following month’s rent if a replacement tenant was found, she claimed. She also alleged that a second broker refused to refund a Rs 12,000 brokerage fee after a proposed agreement renewal fell through.

Consultant’s view

Ketan Joshi, a real estate consultant from Mumbai’s western suburbs, said renting to unmarried couples remains sensitive. In some cases a landlord is willing but the housing society does not allow it, he said, and such decisions vary by society and locality.

Reactions

Not all users backed the tenant. Some said that if the agreement barred sharing the flat or required the landlord’s consent for another occupant, letting a partner stay could be a breach. Others argued the issue was less about marital status than about the landlord not being told that another person was living there, which could have security implications for the building.

This report is based on user-generated social media content that Hindustantimes.com has not independently verified.