Bengaluru tenants turn to homeownership amid rising rental exploitation

Frustrated by rigid rental agreements and exploitative practices, a growing number of Bengaluru tenants are considering buying homes—not for investment, but as a way to escape landlord harassment and unfair charges.

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A recent viral Reddit post shed light on common grievances faced by tenants in the city, including six-month security deposits, arbitrary maintenance deductions, and landlords refusing to return deposits after tenancy ends. These issues are reportedly so severe that even short-term residents are now contemplating homeownership as a more stable and financially safer alternative.

One tenant shared an incident where ₹2,500 was deducted from their deposit for a table lamp worth no more than ₹500. Others complained of landlords charging for repainting and claiming high maintenance costs during move-outs, often without proper justification.

One user lamented that he was tired of flat owners, especially in Bangalore as they take six months' deposit and then refuse to return it properly, citing arbitrary damages. He also added that even those here temporarily are thinking of buying flats just to escape this extortion.

However, landlords argue that rising maintenance costs and irresponsible tenant behavior leave them with few options. One landlord described a situation where a tenant repainted walls and installed wallpaper, which later damaged the walls during removal. The restoration cost exceeded ₹1.5 lakh and took over two months due to labor shortages and restrictions from the local Resident Welfare Association (RWA).

The landlord said that a fresh coat of Royal or premium Asian Paint is costly. If a tenant leaves in a year or two, it’s a financial burden. Still, he acknowledged that some landlords do exploit the system: “There are owners who just want to charge unnecessarily because it's easy money.”

Not everyone agrees that purchasing a home is the right response. Some Redditors cautioned against letting short-term rental frustrations influence such a major financial decision. “Buying a home should be for long-term goals, not just to avoid a few bad landlords,” one user noted.

As Bengaluru’s housing market continues to evolve, the rental landscape is pushing more residents to reconsider the trade-offs between renting and owning in one of India’s most dynamic cities.