Tenancy Compliance
& Responsibilities

When you take a home on lease in India, the property becomes yours to look after for as long as you live in it, and your security deposit comes back in full only if you hand it back the way you received it. That sounds heavier than it is. It comes down to four things done properly: knowing what you have taken on, a careful move-in where every existing fault is recorded in writing, a sensible routine while you live there, and a tidy move-out where the inventory checks out. This document walks all four in plain English, including the India-specific realities, dust, power cuts, society rules, that nobody warns you about. Your IKAN consultant runs the move-in inspection with you and stays on call throughout.

As the occupier you are responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the leased property, and for the costs that go with it, so that the full security deposit is refunded by the landlord to the Lessee at the end of the lease. Here is what that covers, in full.

Most disputes are not really disagreements about the facts. They are disagreements about whose job it was. This is the short answer, and it holds unless your lease says otherwise, so read your lease alongside it.

✓ responsible · ○ not responsible · lease depends on your lease terms · rare uncommon in India and entirely discretionary · or whichever provides the accommodation. Your lease overrides this table wherever the two differ, so read it, and ask your IKAN consultant about anything that is not clear.

The Lessee has a duty to deduct tax at source on the rental payments as the law provides, and the amount deducted must be deposited with the Government treasury through the correct process. This is worth reading twice, because it catches people out: the duty is the tenant's, not the landlord's.

Your landlord usually allows a short grace period, a few days to use everything properly and flag pre-existing faults so he covers the cost of putting them right. Miss that window and those become your repairs, and the minor-repair clause takes effect whether or not you use that part of the property. So treat day one as an inspection: the IKAN team walks the property with you against the landlord's inventory list, and anything wrong is recorded there and then, in writing.

Dear [landlord's name],

Thank you for handing over [address] on [date of handover].

As agreed at signing, I am writing inside the grace period to record the
pre-existing defects found while checking the property against the
inventory list. Dated photographs of each item are attached.

1. [room]: [what is wrong]
2. [room]: [what is wrong]
3. [room]: [what is wrong]

Please confirm in reply which of these you will rectify and by when, and
that the remainder are noted as existing defects, recorded on the
inventory list and not chargeable to me at the end of the term.

Everything else in the property was received in good working order.

With thanks,
[your name] · [phone]
cc: [your IKAN consultant]

Day-to-day maintenance means every minor repair to the fixtures and fittings inside the home, and to the electrical, plumbing, woodwork, appliances, water tanks and common areas. You carry any damage to the property, including the furniture, fixtures, fittings and appliances the landlord provided, whether the damage was intentional, unintentional or down to negligence. Most of that is avoided by a short routine.

Every housing community's association or society makes its own rules to keep disturbance to a minimum, and lays down guidelines residents and tenants follow. As the occupier you must adhere to those rules and respect the association's decisions. They vary a great deal, so check with your association for what applies where you live.

At handover, all appliances, fixtures and fittings are expected to be in working condition and undamaged, with normal wear and tear excepted. The landlord re-checks the same inventory list used at move-in, and everything must be present and in good working order. You may still have to negotiate what counts as fair wear and tear, because every landlord sees that line differently, which is exactly why your dated move-in photographs and your defect log matter.

Here is the list of things that are not fair wear and tear. It is not exhaustive, so when you are in doubt, repair or replace before handover; it is almost always cheaper than the deduction.

Beyond the rent, a number of running costs may be yours, depending on the lease terms. Read the contract, terms and fine print of every subscription and membership carefully, because there can be hidden costs and penalties for early termination. Check with your IKAN consultant to pin down everything that applies to your property.

These are the most common charges and there could be others tied to your specific property. It is important that you check with your IKAN consultant to identify every additional charge you may be responsible for during the tenancy period.

Where expertise meets empathy, supporting your move to India, every step of the way. The information here is not, and cannot be construed as, professional advice in areas such as law, taxation or accounting. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy at the time of publication, there is no guarantee the information is free from errors or omissions, and IKAN Relocation disclaims any liability for damage, loss or cost arising directly or indirectly from its contents. Grace periods, lease terms, society rules, charges and tax rules vary; your consultant confirms the current specifics for your lease and city.