Mumbai Tenant Loses ₹1 Lakh Deposit Over Repainting Row

A tenant on Reddit has stirred a debate over renting practices in Mumbai, stating that his landlord withheld a security deposit of almost ₹1 lakh unless the 1BHK property in Chembur was returned in freshly painted condition. The tenant claimed that the deposit was much larger than the expected cost of repainting the unit and requested opinion on whether the landlord’s demand was reasonable.

In a Reddit post, the tenant said he informed his landlord of his decision to depart a rented one-bedroom apartment in Chembur following contract expiration and demanded the refund of his security deposit. However, according to the post, the landlord stated that the flat was freshly painted before being let out and that it needed to be returned in the same condition before discussing a refund.He was promised that because he painted the house while leasing it, he would get it back in the same condition, and he is unwilling to discuss the deposit refund. And the paint was already peeling and chipping shortly after moving in. When you touched the wall, the paint flaked off, and the furniture also left marks. “The place isn’t the same at all,” the tenant commented on Reddit. “We didn’t bother back then with the paint or anything because the place was a necessity.” The owner of the new apartment I am moving into told me to wait until he finished painting it and handed it over. Is it truly usual to take the tenant’s deposit for this reason? I’d like to know how to manage this. The security deposit was more than one lakh, and I’m not sure how much it takes to paint a little one-bedroom apartment. “Help, I’m really struggling,” he continued.

A common tenant-landlord dispute involves withholding the security deposit for repainting.

Security deposit deductions for repainting and restoration work are a frequent source of disagreement between landlords and renters when a lease expires.

Can landlords deduct painting costs from security deposits?

According to real estate specialists, there is no explicit law governing security deposits, and residential rental agreements are not subject to the Real Estate (Regulation and Development) Act of 2016. Landlords and tenants must grasp the provisions of the rental agreement before any disputes arise. Typically, landlords only deduct security deposits for significant property damage. I once handled a case in which a tenant’s kid drew on the walls of a freshly painted living room. Although the landlord spotted the damage throughout the tenancy, it was not addressed until the tenant vacated the unit, at which point a sum equal to one month’s rent was removed to pay repainting costs. In such cases, it is preferable for both parties to take a practical approach and resolve the matter amicably rather than engage in lengthy disputes, especially since there is no dedicated forum for adjudicating minor tenancy-related disagreements,” said Bhavesh Shah, a real estate consultant based in Mumbai.

Another real estate adviser stated that landlords do not always notice property damage during the rental and may only bring it to their attention when the security deposit is paid.

“Many landlords opt not to address small damage because they may live out of town, do not have physical control of the property, and are worried about keeping a positive relationship with the renter. Practical landlords are typically more concerned with ensuring that the tenant vacates the unit on schedule and gives over possession at the end of the rental term. However, each situation is unique and must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis,” said Mahendra Salvi, a real estate agent in Mumbai’s western suburbs.