House hunting in Delhi tougher than building a startup? Founder shares her ‘exhausting’ battle

Delhi housing woes spark debate after founder’s post. (AI-generated image)

In India’s growing startup culture, founders are often expected to overcome financial risk, long hours and constant uncertainty. Yet for one young entrepreneur in the capital, the most difficult hurdle has not come from investors or competitors, but from the search for a home.

A 27-year-old woman founder based in Delhi said that securing a flat in the city has proved harder than building her company. Sharing her experience on X, she described ongoing struggles with rental conditions that she believes are intrusive and unfair.

“The toughest thing I have faced as a woman founder in Delhi is not raising funds or managing a team. It is finding a place to live,” she wrote.

In her post, she outlined what she described as unreasonable clauses and sudden changes in rent. “Landlords are writing clauses that allow them to enter my flat whenever they want. Rent is being raised without any notice. And the moment I tell them I am a startup founder, then follows the suspicion over character look.”

She said such behaviour creates discomfort and concern, especially for women living alone. “They expect you to be home at all times, on their schedule, fitting into their idea of what a good tenant looks like. I am 27 years old. A landlord walking into my home unannounced is not just inconvenient, it is a violation of my fundamental rights, and as a woman living alone, it makes me feel unsafe,” she wrote.

The entrepreneur added that she is currently searching for accommodation again and described the process as tiring alongside the demands of running a company. She explained, “I am once again in the middle of house hunting in Delhi, and it is exhausting to be fighting this battle on top of everything else that comes with building a company from the ground up.”

The toughest thing I have faced as a woman founder in Delhi is not raising funds or managing a team. It is finding a place to live.

Landlords are writing clauses that allow them to enter my flat whenever they want. Rent is being raised without any notice. And the moment I tell… — Naimisha (ନୈମିଷା) 🇮🇳 (@SpeakNaimisha) February 20, 2026

She also appealed for help from others, “If you know of any leads– landlords who are professional, respectful, and genuinely open to working women and founders as tenants and won't ask me to sell a kidney to fund the rents– please drop them in the comments or reach out to me directly. It would mean more than I can express.”

Her remarks led to a range of responses. Some users offered practical advice. One wrote, “Shift to Gurugram if feasible. Landlords are way more tolerant, particularly on Golf Course Road.”

Another commented, “I have heard better reviews in Noida and Gurgaon.” A third was more direct, “Quit Delhi! It's an overgrown village. Shift to Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore.”