Bengaluru founder says 'greed has no limit' as landlady demands 50% rent hike, then asks him to vacate

A Bengaluru-based entrepreneur has sparked an online debate after claiming that his landlady demanded a steep 50% increase in rent before asking him to vacate the property when he requested a formal rental agreement.

Vasant Marimuthu, founder and CEO of Teestra Lifestyle, shared his experience on X, alleging that the sudden rent hike and subsequent eviction reflected growing pressure on tenants in the city's competitive housing market.

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Founder alleges repeated rent increases over five years

According to Marimuthu, he had been living in the same house in Bengaluru's JP Nagar for the past five years and had consistently paid his rent on time. He claimed that the rent had been increased at every renewal, often by more than the usual 5% to 10%.


This year, however, the increase was far steeper. In his post on X, Marimuthu alleged that his landlady sought a 50% rent hike. When he asked for a fresh rental agreement to formalise the revised terms, he said the conversation took an unexpected turn.

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"Our landlady has been consistently hiking the rent every tenure (above the normal 5% or 10%)... this year when she asked for a 50% hike, I requested her to make a fresh agreement. After a week, she comes back saying she needs the place for her sister moving in and has given us a 30-day notice," he wrote.

He ended the post with the remark, "Greed has no limit."

Tenant claims there had been no issues with rent payments

Responding to users in the comments section, Marimuthu said he had maintained a cordial relationship with the homeowners and had never defaulted on rent.

"There was no issue. Timely rent paid every single month, increased by 20% every 11 months. Even now we agreed to pay her expected rent, stressed on an agreement and she flipped," he claimed.

He also mentioned that the property is located in JP Nagar and suggested that the eviction came despite his willingness to continue renting the house.

Social media users divided over rent hike and eviction

The post quickly gained attention on social media, with users debating whether the landlady's actions were unethical or simply an exercise of her rights as a property owner.

One user argued that the issue was less about greed and more about bargaining power, writing that it was "someone choosing to use their leverage".

Marimuthu responded by saying that while landlords may have leverage, changing the terms after an apparent commitment and issuing a 30-day notice during the tenancy felt unfair.

Another user pointed out that if the rental agreement allowed termination with 30 days' notice for personal occupation, the landlady could be acting within her legal rights, even if the 50% rent increase appeared unreasonable.

Others sympathised with the entrepreneur, describing the proposed rent hike as excessive and advising him to move to another property instead.

Rent disputes continue to fuel housing debate in Bengaluru

The incident has once again highlighted concerns over rising rents in Bengaluru, where rapid demand for housing has led to frequent complaints from tenants about steep rent increases and disputes over lease renewals.

While the claims shared by Marimuthu have not been independently verified, the discussion has reignited conversations about balancing landlords' rights with fair treatment of tenants in one of India's most competitive rental markets.

Disclaimer: This article is based on a user-generated post shared on social media. ET.com has not independently verified the claims made in the post and does not vouch for their accuracy. The views expressed are those of the individual and do not necessarily reflect the views or editorial position of ET.com. Reader discretion is advised.