Flat owners find outstation students easy prey

        Bangalore: When it comes to higher education, Bangalore is often the favourite of many students. The city has a lot to offer ranging from good colleges and universities to job opportunities and pleasant weather. Under all these positives, there is one particular negative which does not get oft reported.

         Outstation students staying in flats often get cheated and harassed by flat owners due to matters relating to the monthly rent. Suparna Saha, a Masters student from Christ University, staying in a flat on Tavarekere Road has faced a similar experience. She says, “According to the rent agreement, the owner can increase the rent by five per cent after a year, but he increased it by 15 per cent. I used to pay 7, 000 per month before. Now, he wants me to pay 8, 500 per month.”

         Suparna complained against this saying it was illegal as it flouted the rent agreement rules. “The owner simply asked me to vacate the flat if I did not want to pay the increased rent. Apparently there were a lot of other customers waiting to pay a much higher price for that flat.”

          This is not all. When Suparna tried to discuss this problem with her neighbours living in the same flat, she found out she and another female resident were the only ones being targeted this way. “I then went to a lawyer I happened to know to ask for legal assistance who told me this was too petty a matter to be taken to court and nothing could be done. I should just adjust”, says Suparna.

         This happens to be just one case among several others. Owners often refuse to return the full amount of advance payment made at the time of joining the flat.Another Masters student from Christ University staying in S. G. Palya says, “My flat owner wanted to increase the monthly rent suddenly, without any prior notice. I refused and told him I would leave the flat next month. So he argued and said he would bring people to show the house and I must allow them inside and should even leave the key with him whenever I go out. This is a complete breach of privacy.”

                                                                                Shanika Bhowmick