Tenant alleges landlord unfairly deducted ₹31k from ₹44k deposit citing false damage claims

A tenant’s post on Reddit has sparked discussion after he alleged that his landlord unfairly deducted a significant portion of his security deposit. The tenant explained that after living in the rented home for two years, he was shocked to learn that the landlord had withheld ₹31,000 out of the ₹44,000 deposit, claiming that the occupants had “ruined” the property. ₹31k from the ₹44k deposit.(Representational image/Gemini AI generated)” title=”The tenant said the landlord unfairly deducted ₹31k from the ₹44k deposit.(Representational image/Gemini AI generated)” /> ₹31k from the ₹44k deposit.(Representational image/Gemini AI generated)” title=”The tenant said the landlord unfairly deducted ₹31k from the ₹44k deposit.(Representational image/Gemini AI generated)” /> The tenant said the landlord unfairly deducted ₹31k from the ₹44k deposit.(Representational image/Gemini AI generated) Taking to Reddit, the tenant wrote, “Long story short, Landlord has sold his house and he is now deducting 31k out of 44k deposite we have given saying you have ruined our place, damaged it. Which is not true. Obviously color gets dull over time. We are living here since 2 years. What are our options?” (Also read: ₹3.5 lakh to vacate after skipping rent for a year: ‘I feel trapped’”>Karnataka landlord says tenant demanded ₹3.5 lakh to vacate after skipping rent for a year: ‘I feel trapped’) The post was titled, “Landlord is deducting almost all of the deposite, What are my options? Please help.” Check out the post here: Reddit reactsThe thread drew a handful of responses from Reddit users, many of whom urged the tenant to take clear legal steps. One commenter advised, “Ask for repair bills of the amount you did not get back from your deposit. Have those bills cross verified and file an FIR for fraud if the landlord gives fake bills.” The original poster responded saying, “He has sold the house, he is not going to get it repaired.” Another user remarked, “Go do a police complaint at the local station. One phone call or visit from police will set him straight,” suggesting that even minimal intervention could change the situation. A user who identified themselves as an advocate offered a detailed explanation, saying, “Lawyer here. If your landlord is unfairly withholding your security deposit, you can request a detailed, itemised bill of damages with supporting receipts or estimates, as tenants are only liable for damage beyond normal wear and tear. Send a formal demand, via email or legal notice, disputing the deductions and requesting the full refund within a reasonable time frame. Keep documentation such as photographs or videos of the property at the time of vacating to support your claim. If the landlord refuses to refund the deposit, you can escalate the matter to a civil court.” Another user pointed out that selling the house does not change the landlord’s responsibility. They wrote, “If he has sold the house he still has to settle your deposit fairly because the agreement was between you and him. Normal wear and tear like faded paint cannot be deducted unless he shows actual repair bills. Ask him in writing to share the item wise deductions and the bills he is relying on. If he refuses or gives random numbers you can file a complaint at the local police station for cheating and wrongful deduction. Even a legal notice from a lawyer is usually enough to make old landlords return the money because they do not want trouble after selling the property. Do all communication message or email so you have a record.” (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.)