Frustrating Apartment Search -- Need Advice

RoadWarrior

I've been looking for an apartment in Bangalore over the Internet for a week now with no luck. One limiting factor I have is that I refuse to pay a 10-month security deposit. I know that some landlords don't insist on this ridiculous practice, but it's hard to find one who doesn't want a deposit and who also has a place with everything I want.

I'm mainly focusing on Koramangala, Cox Town, Richmond Town and Frazer Town. I'm trying to find a furnished 1BHK apartment near a lot of restaurants with air conditioning and a power inverter to protect against outages. So far, no luck. It seems that very few places in Bangalore have air conditioning. I'm not sure I can get by without it.

I really want to avoid brokers, since they'll demand a one-month commission. I'm not sure it's worth paying that much to a broker when I may only be in Bangalore for six months.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I may have to look for a roommate situation if this keeps up.

brishti

hey roadwarrior...

whether you want to pay the 10 month deposit or not is so totally irrelevant -
everybody pays that in BLR.

the weather in bangalore does not require air conditioning in homes.
if you cannot do without one - thats your problem.

you will rarely, if ever, be successful in renting out an apartment online.

since you're there only for 6 months - and depending on your budget -
why dont you try for service apartments or paying guest accomodation?

try pm'ing indjun for pointers - he's recently moved there.


:brishti

RoadWarrior

It's a fallacy that everyone pays the 10-month deposit. It's simply not true. I've already received replies from three landlords indicating that they would not require a 10-month deposit. The problem is that people assume that it's non-negotiable and that it's so ingrained in Indian culture that there's no way around it, so no one ever questions it, and the absurd practice perpetuates itself.

I fail to understand the confrontational nature of your post, with phrases like, "whether you want to pay the 10 month deposit or not is so totally irrelevant." and "the weather in Bangalore does not require air conditioning in homes. If you cannot do without one - that's your problem."

Your smug, condescending, confrontational attitude is not at all helpful, and I honestly have no idea of why you bothered responding to my post if you had nothing of worth to offer and only intended to be critical.

So, no one needs air conditioning, huh? Perhaps if you had grown up in an environment that's not stiflingly hot 24 hours a day, you may feel differently. Folks in Bangalore are more acclimated to high heat than the average American, but how about I take you to the Northern USA and see how you fare. You'll be crying for the heat when it's 19C outside, and people there will laugh at you and tell you flatly that "you don't need heat at 19C. If you cannot do without it, that's your problem."

Not very helpful advice, is it?

SidVicious

Yeah what she said is probably true...

But im sure we can help you work something out..

Tell me your rent budget ( monthly ) and ill see what i can do..

I know a few nice places around koramangala....

Cheers

Sid

SidVicious

Also, Road warrior, you are absolutely right about the 10 month deposit...

I paid just 70 k for an apartment with a monthly rent of 15 k ( 150000 for 10 months ), its just about finding a good deal...

But thats better done in person, rather than over email...

RoadWarrior

Hello Sid. Thank you for your helpful reply. My monthly budget for rent for a furnished (or semi-furnished) flat is in the Rs. 10,000 - 12,000 range. However, that doesn't mean that I wouldn't take an apartment I loved if it were 13,000, for example.

I may be able to do without air conditioning. I won't really know until I get there. However, I lived in a flat with no A/C in the Dominican Republic, and the heat definitely bothered me (I had to keep a fan pointed at me while I worked), but what was worse was that the open-window air ventilation method brought in mosquitoes at night, which I can't deal with.

As a concession for not wanting to pay a 10-month deposit, I'm offering to pay the rent three months at a time, as well as providing a one-month security deposit and a letter from my company stating that they will be responsible for paying my rent if I am unable.

My situation is that I'll be working from home for my American company. I work remotely through the Internet and log into my company's network. So, commute is a non-issue for me. What's most important is that I'm situated in a nice neighborhood that has a lot of good restaurant options within short walking distance.

Thanks so much for your assistance. I really appreciate it!

brishti

actually the correct analogy would've been...
if i'd asked for chicken tikka in iowa - yup that'd be my problem

i agree - i may have sounded a tad trite... smug - nay.
i was reacting to your post - which came across as kind of the-system-sucks-poor-me.

i may have misunderstood, so - i'll try again...

10 months downpayment is the normal procedure - and nobody is perpetuating an absurd practice.
if you have already had replies where you do without that agreement - great - but i would wonder, and seriously wonder, why they agreed.
they may have hiked your rent to accomodate the nonpayment of advance.

regular accomodation in bangalore will come without a/c, as the majority of the folks living there do not require it.
however, service apartments may cater to your needs, but they will be expensive.
paying guest accomodation maybe another alternative.

how did i do this time around


:brishti

SidVicious

Well...with your budget of 10-13 k , getting a neat one bedroom apartment in Koramangala (which as peaceful a locality you'll get without moving too far from the city ) should be a piece of cake...

However, i'm not so sure about the deposit scene...

Tell you what, ill talk to a friend of mine who is in the real estate business in and around Koramangala ... and maybe get back to you tomorrow....

Just a tip :
Telling a house owner that ur going to pay him the rent three months at a time is like giving a kid the key to a chocolate factory

Im sure you will be able to manage something....

RoadWarrior

I can't attest to the quality of the chicken tikka in Iowa, though I'm not optimistic.

What I mean by "perpetuating an absurd practice" is that when renters in Bangalore concede to the 10-month deposit, they perpetuate an antiquated culture of leasing that, as I was told by an Indian friend, was designed long ago to combat a legal system that allowed squatters to win property rights -- kind of a "possession is 9/10 of the law" type of thing.

Standard practice in most countries around the world is a one-month deposit. 10 months is unreasonable, and unnecessary.

Additionally, how would you feel if you were a foreigner, perhaps in Bangalore for only a brief time, depending on how you liked the city, and all of a sudden had to hand over thousands of dollars to a stranger you just met, HOPING that, when you vacate the property, he gives you your money back?

How would you, as a foreigner, like to have to try to recoup your $3,000 in an Indian court if you happen to stumble upon a dishonest landlord? That's not my cup of tea, so I'm trying to circumvent it. Can you really blame me?

I'm also offering what I believe are some pretty attractive concessions, such as offering to pay the rent many months at a time (hell, I'd even probably be OK with paying the rent SIX months at a time), as well as a one-month deposit.

The real function of the security deposit it to offset damages that the tenant might inflict upon the property, which could be anything from juice stains on carpeting to dents in walls or broken appliances.

The 10-month deposit, based on antiquated squatters' rights laws, just doesn't make any sense in my humble opinion.

And yes, I like you much better now. Thanks for taking the time to respond.

And, as for the heat issue, just to give you the reverse side of the equation, I've seen Thais at the air conditioned movie theaters here in Bangkok literally shivering, with long pants on, and putting on jackets at 20C, while I sat there amused in my t-shirt and shorts, quite comfortable. But, then again, I grew up with Omaha, Nebraska winters, sledding down snowy hills and drinking hot cocoa. We're all a product of our environment.

Piper

Can you survive without AC? Yes. Would you want to? Perhaps no. I say that as a foreigner, living in BLR for 4 years, sometimes with and sometimes (as in now) without. Yes you can survive but it's still hot, period. My family is Indian (in BLR their whole lives) and even they also think it's plenty hot right now. Thus I'm not sure if most people feel they don't need it or if it is more that that most people grew up without AC so it's not considered a requirement. I'm sure at some point, even a ceiling fan may have been considered a luxury item, though it's a pretty standard fitting now.

Have you had a peek at www.craigslist.com? Sometimes you get lucky & stumble across a good deal that is posted by the LL instead of by a broker. You may also be able to find some reasonable svc. apartments but you'd have to do a lot of digging for one of those.

Failing finding an AC apartment, you can always buy your own for between $200 & $400 and have it installed--this is a fairly painless process most of the time. Then you can remove & sell it when you leave (or even offer it to your LL who may opt to purchase it from you, used).

brishti

i'll leave it at that piper

roadwarrior: coxtown/frazertown definitely - and a lil less richmond town, is far from koramangala, if its koramangala where your workplace is.



:brishti

RoadWarrior

Actually, I'll be working from home, so I'm more focused on being in a "fun" neighborhood that offers a lot of good restaurants within short walking distance. I have no reason to need to be in Koramangala, but noticed that it was a neighborhood suggested by people here as a good option for expats.

RoadWarrior

Yeah, I may just have to buy an AC unit. I've been all over Craig's List. In fact, I just called about a great apartment in Koramangala, listed by the owner, for Rs. 10,000 per month, but he just rented it. This landlord was asking only for first month's rent, one month of rent in advance and a one-month security deposit.

Serviced apartments are nice, but tend to be very expensive. I also need 8Mbps Airtel Internet service for my job, so I need a place where I have flexibility in ordering the Internet service I want.

Thanks for your reply!

Piper

I'd also suggest anywhere in Indiranagar, but especially close to 100 Ft Road. I understand that there are reasonably-priced flats behind Leela Palace hotel, and 100 Ft Rd is quite happening these days with a lot of shopping, restaurants, etc. around there. Indjun lives in the K'mangala area; you may want to drop him a PM and ask how he likes it now that he's been here awhile.

crvlvr

RoadWarrior,

The so called "ridiculous practice" of a 10 (it used to be 11)months deposit exists for a reason, which I don't think ypu fully understand. Before you start calling it "ridiculous" or accusing Indians of being like sheep, make an attempt to better understand the dynamics of the country you are planning to move to.

The landlord is taking on too much risk if he does not demand that huge deposit. And, given the supply and demand conditions in Bangalore, they don't have to.

Yes, I have nothing to offer either. But that is mainly becuase of your attitude. With just 11 posts unders your belt it would help if you a bit nicer, especially when asking for help.