Bengaluru man flags 'biggest scam' when it comes to rental security deposit: 'happened every time'

According to one commenter, this issue transcends the Silicon Valley of India, extending to cities like Gurugram and Mumbai. “You are insanely lucky if you get >70% of your security deposit back,” said one respondent.

In response to Mayya’s tweet, one based user suggested a humorous workaround: “Best way to avoid [it] is [to] hand over the apartment to a new tenant and take the deposit amount from them.” However, others noted that such informal solutions might not always be feasible, especially when confronted by uncooperative landlords.
Many renters shared stories of landlords retaining deposits without the legal proof required under the Karnataka Rent Control Act. The law mandates that landlords return the full security deposit within 30 days of a tenant vacating unless they can provide itemized receipts or evidence of necessary repairs.

Despite these protections, enforcing them remains challenging. One commenter even shared how their friend in Mumbai had to call the police to recover part of her deposit after her landlord initially refused to comply.

In contrast, a user from Mizoram provided an intriguing alternative, describing how rental culture in the north-eastern state is markedly different. "Nobody even knows what security deposits are over here. No rental agreements either, just trust," the user said.

A few commenters said they managed to reclaim their deposit only by sending legal notices, which proved effective but time-consuming. Yet for many tenants, the time, effort, and resources required to pursue legal action make it an unattractive option, and they ultimately write off part of their deposit as a sunk cost.