A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur has described his flat hunting nightmare in India’s IT capital, claiming that he had to pay ₹5 lakh as security deposit after jumping through several hoops to find an apartment he liked. Raj Vikramaditya, founder and CEO of takeUforward, elaborated on the challenges of looking for a flat to rent in an X post shared yesterday.
In his post, Raj Vikramaditya described his search for a 2BHK apartment in Bengaluru as a “nightmare”, citing high rents, steep security deposits, broker-related issues and discrimination against bachelors.
High rents for old apartments
Raj said he was looking for a 2BHK apartment in a gated community for security reasons and wanted a location close to HSR Layout that would help him avoid major traffic bottlenecks.
However, he found that many apartments were priced between ₹60,000 and ₹90,000 per month despite having what he described as “matchbox bedrooms”. Some of the properties were also 10 to 15 years old, yet landlords continued to demand premium rents along with security deposits equivalent to five to ten months’ rent.
Bachelor status becomes another hurdle
Raj also claimed that being a bachelor complicated the search process, as many property owners were reluctant to rent their homes to unmarried tenants.
After clearing several hurdles in his flat hunting process, Raj Vikramaditya finally found a place he liked. The rent for this place was ₹80,000 per month, and the landlord expected five months of rent as security deposit.
In this case, however, the owner of the apartment was initially “not okay with bachelor”.
He claimed that his broker had to present his professional profile and persuade the owner before the deal could go through — the techie worked at Google for 3.5 years before quitting to start his own venture.
Questioning the reluctance towards bachelors, he argued that landlords already have safeguards in place, noting that a month’s rent is often deducted when tenants vacate a property.
Frustration with brokers and rental practices
The X user also criticised brokers, claiming they charge fees equivalent to one month’s rent while offering little assistance during the search process.
According to the Bengaluru-based CEO, brokers often sent prospective tenants alone to inspect properties after obtaining approvals rather than accompanying them. He also complained that desirable apartments disappeared quickly, saying that after finalising one property, it could be taken by another agency within hours.
Another issue, he said, was the pressure to move in immediately. If a flat became available on a certain date, landlords often expected tenants to move in almost right away, without considering that many renters prefer to begin leases at the start of a new month.
₹5 lakh deposit
After finalising a flat with a monthly rent of around ₹80,000 and a five-month deposit requirement, he calculated that nearly ₹5 lakh would leave his account before he could move in.
The Bengaluru-based founder, who had to pay ₹5 lakh as security deposit for his flat, said the financial burden can be especially difficult for people who are new to the city.
“How will someone manage that who’s new and has just started,” he wondered.
