How Can Tenants Avoid Unfair Charges Imposed By The Law?

Thefeesthathousingsocietieschargetheirtenantsaregovernedbyasetofrules. However,occasionallytheyhaveatendencytochargearbitrarysumsabovetheestablished taxes.Youmustremainknowledgeableaboutyourrightsasatenantandobjecttosuch unjustactions.

Are you searching for 2bhk rent flats in vikhroli?

Assoonasyourentanapartmentinacommunity,youjointhatmicro-demographicasa valuablecontributor.Therefore,itonlyseemssensethatsocietywouldexpectyouto contributetomaintainingthefacilitiesatyourdisposal.TheModelTenancyActwas createdbytheCentralGovernmenttoresolvemarketdistortionsrelatingtosecurity deposits,untimelyevictions,andthearbitraryimpositionofvariouslevies.ThisActhas varioussectionsthatsafeguardtenants'rightsandgivethemrecourseforlegalaction throughaRentCourt.

Occurrences of arbitrary charges to renters

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Clubhouseusagefees,evenifthetenantlacksanIDcardprovidedbytheclubhouse.  Non-occupancyfees,whichthelandlordmustreimbursethesocietybylaw 

Highermaintenancefeesthantheownerintended.Onlyifthesocietycanpresentan exceptionalcircumstancetothesub-registrar,isthesocietypermittedtochargethe renteramaximum10%higherfee.

Theseunlawfulactivitiesagainsttenantsmaybecarriedoutdirectlybyhousingsocieties, ortheymaycompelthelandlordtoimposeadditionalfees.

What to do to prevent being conned

Clarifying the situation with the owner

Yourrights,ifyouareatenantinasocietymember'sapartment,largelydependonthetype ofagreementyouhave,suchasarentaloraleave-and-licenseagreement.Theformeris significantlybetterabletosafeguardyourrightsasarenterthanthelatter.Thisisso becausetherentalagreementisgovernedbythestate'srentlawandrentcontrollaw.The followingaresomeactionsarentercouldtake: 

Topreventthesocietyfromultimatelychargingyoufortheserepairs,youmust establishascheduleintheagreementunderwhichtheownerwillvisittheproperty tocheckitanddeterminewhetheranyrepairsarenecessary. 

Asktheownertofixatimerangewithinwhichtherepairworkshallgetdone.Ifthe ownerdoesn'tmaketherepairswithinthistimeframe,you'refreetotakecareof themyourselfanddeductthecostfromtherentyouowe. 

Oncetheagreementhasbeendraftedtoyoursatisfaction,youshouldhaveit registeredwiththeSub-officeRegistrar'ssothattheownerorthehousing organisationcannottakeadvantageofyouinanymanner.

Taking care of the housing society

Asatenant,itisincumbentuponyouasatenant,itisincumbentuponyouasatenant,asa tenant,itisincumbentuponyouasatenant,you,asatenant,itisincumbentuponyouas tenant,you,asatenant,you,asaThefollowinginformationcanassistyouinnegotiating withthehousingsocietyregardingsucherroneouscharges: 

Becausesocietiesareleeryofthepresenceofrenterswhoarebachelors,theymay chargeyouextraundertheguiseofprovidingextraprotection.Asaresult,youmust insertclausesinthecontractthatdefendyouagainstthisfee. 

TheNationalCooperativeHousingFederationofIndia(NCHFI),ofwhichthe majorityofhousingsocietiesinIndiaaremembers,hasbylawsthatmustbe followed.Therentermayaskthesocietytoidentifythespecificbye-lawssection underwhichagivenarbitraryfeewasimposed. 

AccordingtotheDraftModelTenancyActof2015,thehousingsocietycannot requestasecuritydepositdirectlyfromthetenantunlessotherwisespecifiedinthe rentalagreement.Thesecuritydepositmightbeuptotwicethemonthlyrent,atthe owner'sdiscretion.

Legal action in the event of a disagreement 

ThedraughtModelTenancyActhasestablishedarobustgrievanceRedressal system,consistingofatrinityoftheRentAuthority,RentCourt,andRentTribunal, whichhelpsresolveissuesswiftly,iftheownerorthehousingorganisationisin conflictwiththetenant. 

AcomplaintmustfirstbemadetotheRentAuthoritybytheoffendedtenant. 

Within30daysoftheorder'sissuance,thecomplainthastheoptionofappealingthe Authority'sdecisionifitdoesnotsatisfythem.TheycandothisineithertheRent CourtortheRentTribunal. 

Within60daysafterthedaytheorderwasissued,theRentCourt&RentTribunal mustbeabletoconcludethecase. 

TenantsshouldapproachtheConsumerorCivilCourtwiththeowneriftheyarenot satisfiedwiththeRentCourtorTribunal'sdecision,astheyareunabletodosoon theirownbecausetheyarenotmembersofthehousingsociety.Astheconsumer andthecourtshandlecasesfromavarietyofothersectorsoutsideofrealestate issues,thisprocedurecouldtakesometime.

ThedraughtModelTenancyActbytheCentralGovernmentrecognizesthemanyissues thattenantsencounterandgrantsthemsufficientrights.

However,becauselandisamatterofStateandtheaforementionedTenancyActisa "Model"Act,notallStatesmaychoosetofollowitor,eveniftheydo,certainalterations maytakeplace.Overall,though,itcanbeconcludedthattenantswillbenefitfromthisAct. TheModelTenancyActiscurrentlybeingadoptedbysometownsandStates,including ChandigarhandMadhyaPradesh,andonceotherStatesdothesame,itwillhelpkeep unethicalactivitieslikechargingarbitraryamountsundercheck.