Companies are asking their employees to return to the office; since most IT employees were working from their native, returning to Bengaluru and finding a house all over again may become easy. With the increasing number of online platforms using the latest AI model helping tenants find the house, it is almost like a cakewalk.
Newcomers to Bengaluru will find various options to stay, including paying guest accommodation, coliving spaces, serviced apartments and houses on rent or lease, depending on the budget. Places like Indiranagar, Koramangala, Tavarekere, HSR Layout, Bellandur, Sarjapura Road, BTM Layout and Electronic City are the hubs where most of the migrant population resides. Besides this, there are also hubs around major tech parks in the city.
The experience of living in different renting spaces comes with its baggage of dos and don’ts
Here are some of the guidelines:
In a paying guest accommodation
This is the most basic facility available for anyone new to the city; the facility would either be a dormitory or a house with many rooms shared by two or three members. Some PGs provide food, too, to the members. Most PG owners maintain an agreement, impose strict timing, and do not entertain members coming home late in the night.
Coliving spaces
After coworking spaces became a way of working, the coliving space became a hit among the migrants. Although 20% costlier than PG accommodation, it is more of an experience, as it includes indoor activities like table tennis, carrom, gym, foosball, indoor cricket, etc., besides having a dining area, a coworking space and a separate room for entertainment.
Serviced apartments
It is like a space of your own, sometimes fully or semi-furnished. These apartments are mainly used for a short stay where the company bears the cost for the training period. However, if the person wishes to continue the stay with their expenses, the owner usually doubles the rent amount. The service apartment mostly has a kitchen with utensils, a fridge, washing machines, furniture and TV sets.
Rent or lease a house/apartment
This is the traditional method of renting a place with an agreement. However, there have always been disputes between the owner and tenants over the deposit amount. With the Karnataka Government also looking to adopt the Model Tenancy Act, 2019, it may come as a relief for tenants and owners.
Some of the major features of the proposed Model Tenancy Act, 2019 are mentioned below
-The owner and the tenant will fix the rent.
-The rental agreement between the owner and tenant must be uploaded on the government portal.
-Deposits cannot exceed more than 2-month rentals for residential and 6-month rentals for commercial properties.
-Tenants cannot be evicted without a valid reason and notice during the agreement period.
-Tenants cannot make any structural changes to the property without written permission from homeowners.
-A penalty will be imposed if the tenant fails to vacate the property after litigation.
How will the Act make the difference?
Sriram Chitturi, founding president of the Rental Housing Association of India and founder of coliving space Guesture, says that the Model Tenancy Act, 2019, will bring sanctity to the renting system. “The Act will be a historical relief to the existing dispute among the owners and tenants as it will ease the process of renting. The Act also mandates to have a repository of good owners and tenants, which can be used for someone looking for a rented place or could be referred in the court to settle any disputes,” he added.
On the other hand, Vinay Mishra, the founder of the Bengaluru Tenants Association, says that the state government has only proposed to adopt the Act; it will take time for implementation. “Currently, owners are charging 10-11 months as advance amount; this will come down once the Act is implemented. However, grievances still exist where most owners refuse to refund the entire deposit amount despite an agreement giving reasons for damages, painting and maintenance,” he added.
These are some of the online platforms to find a house on rent:
Telegram’s Flat and Flatmates Bangalore
Here is a list of websites and apps to find a house in Bengaluru –
Nestaway.com
99acres.com
Magicbricks.com
Nobroker.in
Flatchat app
Valuehome.in
Stayabode.com
Squareyards.com
Housing.com
Commomfloor.com
Nestoria.in
Things to keep in mind for techies moving to Bengaluru while searching for a place
- Decide your budget.
- Prefer a place close to your office/ institute/organisation.
- Search online for your preferred property from the comfort of your home.
- Take suggestions from local friends, colleagues, institution teachers and relatives.
- Contact the owner by telephone, email or messaging apps. Collect the details of property snaps, location, rental, security deposit, year on year appreciation value, rental cycle (Usually 11 months), notice period, and renovation cost (painting & cleaning).
- Visit the property and finalise
- While signing the agreement, read the draft agreement carefully, raise your concerns, and negotiate rent and security deposit amounts if required.
- The possession date and rental address must be reflected in the draft.
- Add mode of transaction in the draft; prefer wire transfer instead of cash.
- Maintenance, water, electricity charges, etc., must be reflected in the draft.
- Owner bank details must be reflected in the draft for transferring monthly rent and security deposit.
