A Reddit post by a tenant alleging that her landlord refused to renew her lease, asked her to vacate the apartment after discovering she was living with her unmarried male partner, and withheld her ₹55,000 security deposit has sparked an online debate over tenants’ rights, rental agreements and security deposits.
According to the post, the tenant claimed she had informed the broker about her living arrangement at the outset, but was allegedly advised to present herself as the sole occupant. “The broker suggested I portray myself as the sole inhabitant of the rented house. I tried to do this for the entirety of the rental agreement,” she wrote.
She alleged that after the landlord discovered her partner was also living in the apartment, he accused her of lying and told her: “Because I lied, they will not return my deposit of ₹55k and I would have to pay rent of ₹29k next month despite being asked to leave on 31st of July.”
Real estate consultants say renting to married versus unmarried couples remains a sensitive issue. “There are instances where the landlord is willing to rent out the property, but the housing society does not allow it. So the ecosystem is not fully ready yet,” said Ketan Joshi, a real estate consultant from Mumbai’s western suburbs. He added that such decisions often vary from society to society and locality to locality.
The post, shared on the r/LegalAdviceIndia subreddit, described how the tenant had rented an apartment under her name and was staying there with her unmarried male partner.
According to the post, the arrangement came to light when the landlord visited the property, after which the landlord allegedly demanded that she vacate the apartment by the end of the month. The tenant claimed that during the heated discussion she agreed to forgo her ₹55,000 security deposit simply to end the confrontation, but later wondered whether she had any legal recourse. She also alleged that a second broker refused to refund a brokerage fee of ₹12,000 after a proposed agreement renewal fell through.
“I just wanted the discussion to end,” the Redditor wrote, adding that she had lived in the apartment for only five months of an 11-month tenancy because both she and the partner were largely working from home.
She claimed the landlord had indicated she would not have to pay the following month’s rent if a replacement tenant was found, but remained concerned about losing both the security deposit and the brokerage amount.
“The wife owns this apartment and she came to inspect first. Told her the female friend visits and the second setup belonged to her. At this point she started to act like a total victim and demanding 10k per month for all the months my female friend had been here. Her husband however, never said anything unnecessary and asked me her details and told me they would discuss this. The wife on the other hand, was acting rabid,” the tenant posted on Reddit.
“Right as they were leaving, I came clean and told them it was my male partner and not a female friend. All hell broke loose after this, what ensued was a bunch of typical insults from her directed at me. They asked me if the broker knew and I told them that Broker A knew. Then owner tells me because I lied they will not return my deposit of 55k and I would have to pay rent of 29k next month despite being asked to leave on 31st of July,” reads the post.
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Netizens react to the Reddit post
The post attracted hundreds of comments, with many Reddit users advising the tenant not to voluntarily surrender the deposit. Several users suggested that a security deposit is generally intended to cover unpaid rent or damage to the property rather than being withheld because of a dispute over living arrangements. Others recommended seeking legal advice and communicating with the landlord in writing before vacating the premises.
Not everyone sided with the tenant. Some users pointed out that if the rental agreement specifically prohibited sharing the apartment with another person or required the landlord’s prior consent for an additional occupant, allowing a partner to stay could amount to a breach of the agreement.
Others argued that the issue was less about the couple’s marital status and more about the landlord not being informed that another person was residing in the apartment, which they said could have security implications for the building.
(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. Hindustantimes.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them)
