Tenants in Gurgaon say they lost ₹70,000 after the landlord asked them to vacate the flat. The Internet offers help | Today’s news

A Reddit post has sparked a wide-ranging debate about tenants’ rights, leases and the perils of living in India’s big cities after a group of tenants in Gurgaon claimed they almost lost ₹70,000 after a dispute between the property owner and the person they were paying rent to.

An account shared on the Reddit community r/gurgaon describes how three working professionals allegedly found themselves in the middle of a dispute between a landlord and a middleman who had been collecting rent from them for months.

Post titled “Landlord threw us out of our apartment at night. Lost ₹70,000 overnight. What are we going to do now,” garnered considerable attention online, with users debating whether it was a civil lawsuit, a case of fraud, or both.

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How the Controversy Began

According to a Reddit user, three tenants moved into an apartment near DLF Gurgaon in January this year.

Like many tenants looking for accommodation in big cities, they relied on a person who introduced themselves as a property manager. The arrangement appeared to be straightforward and tenants say there were no signs of trouble during the first months.

The tenants paid a deposit of ₹50,000 and agreed to a monthly rent of approx ₹20,000.

Describing the arrangement, the user wrote:

“We paid the bail ₹50,000 and a monthly rent of approx ₹20,000. Everything went smoothly for months. The rent was paid regularly to whoever rented the place to us.’

For several months, the tenants say they continued to pay rent as agreed and believed everything was fine.

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The owner reportedly demanded they vacate

The situation changed dramatically about a week ago when, according to a post on Reddit, the real owner of the property showed up at the apartment and informed the tenants that they would have to leave.

The landlord allegedly claimed that the individual collecting the rent had failed to remit rent payments and failed to pay other outstanding amounts.

The tenant described the encounter as unexpected and deeply disturbing.

“Then about a week ago at night, the real owner suddenly showed up and told us to leave. According to him, the person we were paying the rent to hadn’t been sending him the rent payments and also hadn’t paid the other fees. We were completely shocked because from our point of view, we paid everything on time.”

The post suggests that the tenants were previously unaware of any dispute between the owner and the person they were dealing with.

Involvement of the police and a one-week deadline

As tensions escalated, the matter reportedly reached a point where police intervention was necessary.

The tenant claimed that discussions took place between the parties and a decision was reached requiring them to vacate the property within a week.

The user explained the situation and wrote:

“The situation got so bad that we had to get the police involved. After discussions we were only given a week to vacate. Now comes the worst part. The landlord says he won’t refund our security deposit and wants us to pay a new security deposit, higher rent and even settle outstanding fees if we want to stay.”

Faced with the prospect of being relocated at short notice, the tenants also tried to recover the money they had already paid.

According to a post on Reddit, those efforts were unsuccessful.

“The person who took our money is refusing to give anything back and is bluntly saying, ‘Go file a civil suit. Do whatever you want.’ We will vacate the apartment by today. We effectively lost ₹70,000 ( ₹50,000 security + ₹20,000 rent already paid) and I have to find emergency accommodation.’

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Reddit users discuss legal options

The post quickly attracted hundreds of responses, with users offering legal advice, sharing opinions and debating who should be held responsible.

Several commenters argued that tenants should explore legal remedies.

One user claimed that the dispute may have been intentional.

“The landlord and broker are doing this knowingly. If there is a lease, send a legal notice. Once you leave, they will enjoy 70k more rent from another group of tenants and harass them again.”

Another user suggested that this could be a criminal offense rather than just a contractual dispute.

“This is a case of fraud and not a civil suit as you were told and made to believe that the person you are paying rent to is the owner. You can file an FIR. Consult a lawyer, you must have a tenancy agreement with his credentials.”

“Use the tit as the principal, no one comes to help anyway, let the owner also know what it’s like to suffer losses, otherwise it’s up to you, there is no justice in this country, only a jungle paradise.”

Another user claimed to be a lawyer based in Delhi and advised the tenants to take legal action.

“Hey here a lawyer from delhi! Your owner can’t do this and unless this person has transferred the amount to him between him and the other person. Don’t pay a single rupee and file a police complaint and also a civil suit in gurugram district court.”

Another commenter expressed skepticism about both police and judicial remedies, writing:

“Get the cops involved. They will ask for palm oil, but they will hound the parties to the point of asking for a ‘compromise’. Unless of course the other parties pay more. This is always possible with the low level dogs commonly referred to as the Gurgaon Police. Don’t expect justice even from the courts. The case will drag on for years and you will lose the lawsuits.”