News: Can a Bengaluru Landlord Keep a Month’s Rent for Repainting?-18-08-2026

A Bengaluru tenant’s Reddit post has set off a debate on whether a landlord can deduct a full month’s rent from the security deposit for repainting and maintenance when a tenancy ends.

The tenant wrote that he had lived in a rented 3BHK for two years at Rs 60,000 a month and that the owner now intends to deduct one month’s rent for repainting and similar work. He accepted that damage caused by him should be charged, but asked whether ordinary wear and tear over two years is not the owner’s responsibility, how minor work adds up to Rs 60,000, and whether such a deduction is normal practice.

Check the agreement

Several users said the answer may lie in the rental agreement, particularly any clause requiring the property to be returned in the condition in which it was received. One suggested the cheapest route could be for the tenant to get the house painted himself, after agreeing specifications with the landlord, and reclaim the full deposit.

Another advised settling these matters before moving in: whether the property will be repainted on vacating, whether wear and tear will be treated separately from damage, and whether the tenant may do painting or repairs before handing over.

Wear and tear or damage

Not everyone accepted that repainting is always normal wear and tear. One user said scribbled walls, drilled holes and curry stains do not qualify. Another said tenants can become careless with a rented home because they expect the landlord to pay.

Users also acknowledged that landlords have legitimate costs, such as broken wardrobe doors or damaged fixtures resulting from a tenant’s use. Some distinguished fans, lights and plumbing, which they saw as the landlord’s maintenance responsibility, from painting, which is more contentious.

A strong counterpoint came from tenants who said they had not received a freshly painted house. One said they moved into a dirty home, cleaned it themselves and were still charged for painting and maintenance on leaving. Another said a landlord deducted Rs 65,000 for painting after a stay of only a year.

Is one month standard?

Some Redditors called the one-month deduction common in Bengaluru. Others considered it unfair when imposed as a blanket charge without establishing actual cost. One wrote that a fixed deduction of Rs 60,000 does not mean Rs 60,000 worth of work was done. The discussion also noted that if landlords bear all repainting costs, these could be built into rents.

What tenants can ask upfront

Commenters broadly agreed that tenants should clarify, before paying a token or signing, who pays for repainting, what counts as normal wear and tear, which damage can be deducted, whether the tenant may carry out repairs independently, whether the deduction is fixed or based on actual cost, and what condition the property must be returned in. Experts say a detailed agreement and photographs at move-in and move-out help avoid disputes.

Many Bengaluru landlords said the deduction is meant to restore the property for the next tenant, and that higher labour and material costs have made one month’s rent a practical benchmark.

Avilash Naik, an advocate practising at the Karnataka High Court, said there is no blanket prohibition on such charges. If the agreement specifically mentions repainting or restoration deductions and both sides have accepted it, the clause may be enforceable, subject to the facts of the case.

This report is based on user-generated social media content that HT.com has not independently verified and does not endorse.