Bengaluru Tenant Claims Landlord Vanished With Deposit, Many Share Similar Stories

A Reddit post by a Bengaluru tenant has gone viral, drawing attention to a growing issue in the city's rental market. The tenant, who recently vacated a flat in BTM Layout after giving proper notice and completing the handover, claimed that his landlord disappeared without returning the security deposit. Despite repeated attempts to contact him, there has been no response. 

"This is the current scam of Bangalore," he said, before naming the landlord and alleging that he stopped responding to phone calls and messages after the property was vacated. "As per the rental agreement, the owner was supposed to return my security deposit. However, after vacating the flat, Mr Chaitanya stopped responding to my phone calls and messages. He has disappeared without returning the money or providing any explanation," the post read.

Bangalore Scam #karnatakapolice
byu/HeyJosan inbangalorerentals

The Reddit user further added, "This is not just an isolated incident, many tenants in Bangalore are facing similar issues where owners exploit tenants by refusing to return their deposits after vacating. Such actions are unethical and amount to cheating and breach of trust."

The viral Reddit post has sparked widespread support, with many users sharing similar experiences of landlords in Bengaluru refusing to return security deposits or ignoring tenant communications. The issue has reignited debate about the lack of tenant protections and the need for stricter regulations. 

One user suggested a workaround: "Stop paying rent until your security is adjusted-if rent is Rs 30,000 and deposit Rs 90,000, skip three months' rent." Another questioned the legality of demanding three months' deposit for a Rs 15,000 room, calling it unreasonable and unique to Bengaluru. A third shared, "Happened to me, an extremely rich landlord conned us out of Rs 2 lakh."