After nearly 10 days of house hunting and a monthly rental budget of almost ₹1 lakh, a married couple in Mumbai thought they had finally found the perfect 3BHK in the city’s western suburbs. But before they could sign the leave-and-licence agreement, they were allegedly asked to produce their marriage certificate. The demand, shared in a viral post on X, has reignited a familiar debate over privacy, housing discrimination and the extent to which cooperative housing societies can scrutinise prospective tenants.
According to the post, the broker first took the couple to meet members of the housing society’s managing committee, a common practice in many Mumbai societies, before the rental agreement could be executed between the homeowner and the tenants. It was during this interaction that the couple was allegedly asked to furnish proof of their marriage.
However, the first question society posed was, “Do you have a marriage certificate?” “Prove that you’re a married couple,” the post said.
Netizens react, saying it has become common
The post drew mixed reactions on X, with many questioning why a housing society should ask prospective tenants to provide a marriage certificate. Several argued that if the couple had already submitted government-issued identity documents and were required to undergo police verification before moving in, demanding proof of marriage amounted to an unnecessary invasion of privacy.
Others defended the society’s approach, saying many housing societies have their own tenant verification norms to minimise future disputes or complaints from residents. Some users said that such requests, though uncomfortable, are not uncommon in parts of Mumbai, particularly in societies that rent only to families. A few added that unmarried couples and live-in partners are often subjected to similar scrutiny while searching for rental accommodation.
The post has since sparked a wider debate, with social media users divided over whether asking for a marriage certificate is a reasonable part of tenant verification or an unwarranted intrusion into a couple’s personal life.
Real estate brokers say it is common practice
According to real estate brokers, such verification has become common practice in many large housing societies, particularly in metropolitan cities.
“There is no legal requirement for a homeowner to obtain a housing society’s permission before renting out a flat. However, many societies conduct an introduction or verification meeting before the rental agreement is executed,” said Sunil Thakur, a Mumbai-based real estate consultant.
“In cases where the surnames of the husband and wife do not match on documents such as Aadhaar or PAN cards, societies often ask for a marriage certificate. Some homeowners also request additional documents, such as an office ID card, a visiting card, or even a LinkedIn profile, as part of their tenant verification process. These checks have increasingly become standard practice,” he added.
