Renting a home: a checklist for tenants and owners

Before you agree

Visit at the time of day you would usually be home, and check what matters day to day:

• Water supply and pressure, power backup, mobile signal
• Parking, lifts, and the society’s rules on guests, pets and moving in
• The condition of fittings — taps, fans, geysers, wardrobes

Put it in writing

A rent agreement should state the rent, the deposit, the notice period, any lock-in, who pays maintenance and repairs, and when rent rises. Leases of a year or more must be registered, which is why most agreements run for eleven months; either way, the agreement is executed on stamp paper (often e-stamp).

Police verification

Police in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana ask owners to have tenants verified, and most offer it online. It protects both sides — owners should complete it before handing over the keys.

The deposit

Agree the amount and what may be deducted from it, in writing. At move-in, take dated photos of every room and list the fittings — both sides sign the list. The Model Tenancy Act, 2021 suggests a cap of two months’ rent for homes, but it applies only where a state has adopted it.

Paying rent

Pay by bank transfer or UPI so there is a record, and ask for monthly rent receipts — tenants need them to claim house rent allowance.