Bengaluru tenant shares how flat owner tried to ‘trap’ him quietly changing lease terms: ‘Don’t trust sweet landlord’

A Bengaluru tenant has claimed that their landlord quietly increased the notice period in their rental agreement from one month to two months without informing them, prompting a warning to others online. In a Reddit post titled “Don’t trust your ‘sweet’ Bangalore landlord”, the tenant said the change was discovered during the 2026 lease renewal for their Basavanagar flat.The tenant said the change was discovered during the 2026 lease renewal for their Basavanagar flat. (Pexels/Representational image)“I’ve been a tenant in the same Basavanagar flat since 2022. Never missed a payment, never a complaint. My 2026 renewal just came up, and when I asked the owner if any terms had changed, he literally messaged me ‘No’,” the user wrote.However, the OP said that after conducting a line–line comparison of the new draft with the previous agreement, he spotted a key alteration. “Here is the ‘silent’ trap he tried to set: He quietly changed it from 1 month to 2 months,” the user claimed.The tenant further alleged that when confronted about the modification, the landlord responded, “I am the flat owner, I will set the rules in the agreement.”Advising fellow renters to stay alert, the user wrote, “Even if your landlord seems like a ‘nice uncle,’ they are running a business. Compare your new agreement against your old one word-for-word before you sign.”(Also Read: ‘Bangalore went from needing hoodie to AC’: Internet reacts to sudden weather change)Social media users share similar instancesThe post struck a chord with several Reddit users, many of whom shared similar experiences.“A similar incident happened to me when I visited a flat for rent. She literally asked 5x monthly rent as deposit. I politely told her according to the laws it should max 2 months. She told me she is the owner and can set deposit as her wish. Later she disrespectfully hung up the call,” one user commented.Another wrote, “Always get the notice period clause in writing before signing. Verbal agreements mean nothing when they want you out or want to keep your deposit. Learned this the hard way.”“Yeah, this happened to me too once. But it was during COVID-19, so I had leverage,” a third user said, while another claimed their previous landlord introduced a three-month notice period.“Oh man. You’ve just dug a hole for yourself. He’ll create a nuisance for you during move-out. You should have been outright diplomatic and just quietly moved out,” cautioned one user.(Disclaimer: This report is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.)