Gurgaon Tenants Claim They Lost ₹70,000 After Owner Asked Them To Vacate Flat. Internet Offers Help

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A post on Reddit has sparked widespread discussion about tenant rights, rental agreements and housing risks in India's major cities after a group of tenants in Gurgaon claimed they lost nearly ₹70,000 following a dispute involving a property owner and the person they had been paying rent to.

The account, shared on Reddit's r/gurgaon community, describes how three working professionals allegedly found themselves caught in the middle of a disagreement between the flat's owner and an intermediary who had been collecting rent from them for months.

The post, titled "Owner threw us out of our flat at night. Lost ₹70,000 overnight. What do we do now," has drawn significant attention online, with users debating whether the matter amounts to a civil dispute, a case of fraud, or both.

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According to the Reddit user, the three tenants moved into a flat near DLF Gurgaon in January this year.

Like many renters searching for accommodation in large cities, they relied on a person who introduced himself as the individual managing the property. The arrangement appeared straightforward, and the tenants say there were no signs of trouble during the initial months.

The tenants paid a security deposit of ₹50,000 and agreed to a monthly rent of approximately ₹20,000.

Describing the arrangement, the user wrote:

"We paid a security deposit of ₹50,000 and monthly rent of around ₹20,000. Everything was smooth for months. Rent was being paid regularly to the person who had rented the place to us."

For several months, the tenants say they continued paying rent as agreed and believed everything was in order.

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The situation changed dramatically about a week ago when, according to the Reddit post, the property's actual owner arrived at the flat and informed the tenants that they would have to leave.

The owner allegedly claimed that the individual collecting rent had failed to transfer the rent payments and had not settled other outstanding dues.

The tenant described the encounter as unexpected and deeply unsettling.

"Then, about a week ago, the actual owner suddenly showed up at night and told us to leave. According to him, the person we had been paying rent to had not forwarded rent payments to him and had also not cleared other dues. We were completely shocked because from our perspective, we had paid everything on time."

The post suggests that the tenants had no prior knowledge of any dispute between the owner and the person they had been dealing with.

Police Involvement And One-Week Deadline

As tensions escalated, the matter reportedly reached a point where police intervention became necessary.

The tenant claimed that discussions were held between the parties and a decision was reached requiring them to vacate the property within a week.

Explaining the situation, the user wrote:

"The situation became serious enough that we had to involve the police. After discussions, we were given only one week to vacate. Now comes the worst part. The owner says he will not return our security deposit and wants us to pay a new security amount, higher rent, and even clear unpaid dues if we want to continue staying."

Faced with the prospect of relocating at short notice, the tenants also attempted to recover the money they had already paid.

According to the Reddit post, those efforts were unsuccessful.

“The person who took our money is refusing to refund anything and openly says, 'Go file a civil case. Do whatever you want.' As of today, we are vacating the flat. We have effectively lost around ₹70,000 ( ₹50,000 security + ₹20,000 rent already paid) and have to find emergency accommodation.”

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The post quickly attracted hundreds of reactions, with users offering legal advice, sharing opinions and debating who should be held responsible.

Several commenters argued that the tenants should explore legal remedies.

One user alleged that the dispute may have been deliberate.

"Owner and the broker are knowingly doing this. If there's a rent agreement, send a legal notice. Once you'll leave they'll be enjoying 70k, higher rent from another set of tenants and harass them again."

Another user suggested the matter could involve criminal wrongdoing rather than merely a contractual dispute.

"Thats a fraud case and not a civil suit as you were told and made to believe that person you were paying rent to is the owner. You can file an FIR. Consult a lawyer, you must have a rent agreement with his credentials."

A third commenter wrote:

"Use tit for tat principal, No one is anyways coming to help, let the owner also know what it feels like to suffer losses, else it's up to you only, there's no justice in this country, only jungle raj."

Claiming to be a lawyer based in Delhi, another user advised the tenants to take legal action.

"Hey, lawyer from delhi here! Your owner can't do that and if the person has not transfered him the amount that between him and the other person. Don't pay a penny and file a police complaint and also civil suit in gurugram district court."

Another commenter expressed scepticism about both police and court remedies, writing:

"Get the cops involved. They'll ask for palm grease but they'll hound the parties enough that they'll want a“compromise”. Unless of course, the other parties pay more. That's always possible with the low level dogs commonly referred to as the Gurgaon police constabulary. Don't expect justice from court either. The matter will languish in court for years and you'll lose more in legal and opportunity costs."

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