My friend and I had booked a one room set in one of the houses in Katwaria Sarai, South Delhi in the 2nd week of October. We were shown a model room ; the room rent being Rs 5000 per month. out of which Rs 2500 had to be paid in advance. It was booked on spot with a token amount of Rs 500 and a promise of possession from the 1st November.
Just after 3 days, the landlady called up to intimate that her daughter had already taken an advance from another party (without her knowledge), for the same room and hence asked us to find a room elsewhere and take back the token amount. However, on our insistence she again agreed to go ahead with us.
We immediately met her in a few hours to pay her Rs.2000 which would complete the half amount of advance as agreed upon previously. There she tells us that, the previous tenant of that room was insisting on retaining the room. Her changing words and lack of commitment had already left us in doubt, though we agreed to take the room.
As per the terms of rent, we were supposed to intimate her 10 days before the month ends if we intended to vacate the room. Apart from the rent we would have to pay Rs50 for the sweeper and surprisingly Rs. 7 per unit as electricity charge though elsewhere in the same area the charge is Rs. 6. She also insisted on taking Rs 1000 as security deposit which would be refunded after deducting the cost of any repairment required during our stay. She also said the occupants were planning to leave sometime in the 3rd week of October and that she would intimate us as soon as they left after making sure that the entire room was whitewashed and cleaned. She promised that all electric connections would be in working condition when she hands over the room.
The end of the month came without any call from her. 1st of November was a Tuesday and we could not afford to shift on a week day owing to our work schedule. We however visited the room and saw the tube light not working, neither the fan. The kitchen had a drainage problem and the kitchen tap too, needed repairing. She assured again that everything would be taken care of in a day or two. We went again with our things on Sunday evening, the 6th of November, but the problems persisted. She had only repaired the kitchen tap. She promised again but by that time we were convinced that she was a woman of more words than action.
We decided we cannot put up in this room after all. We went to intimate her on the 10th of November but she being out we could just inform her over phone that we would not stay in this mess and since we had already payed 15 days' rent, we shall not pay any more. However she was quite rude and then she insists that we must pay her the entire month's rent.
We are confused because we have already lost money because of her inconsistent behavior. Without staying for a single day, we paid a sum of Rs2500. Need we pay the rest amount of the rent?
0 comments