Bengaluru's ₹23 Lakh Rent Deposit Goes Viral. Greed? Or Is It Just Ridiculous?
A ₹23 lakh deposit on a rented accommodation has stunned the Internet. Netizens compared it to global norms where deposits rarely exceed 2 months' rent.
If you thought finding a home in Bengaluru was hard, try wrapping your head around this: a 4BHK rental in the city is demanding a security deposit of ₹23 lakh for 10 months. That's not the rent; it's just the deposit.
The listing, which recently surfaced on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), showed an ad for a fully furnished 4,500 sq ft independent house with a monthly rent of ₹2.3 lakh. But what set the internet on fire was the eye-watering deposit — 10 months' worth of rent, upfront.
"Bengaluru landlords are the greediest in the world," the post declared, calling out what many see as unchecked landlord power in India's tech capital. The post compared Bengaluru's norms with major global cities — New York, Toronto, Singapore, London, San Francisco, Dubai — where security deposits rarely go beyond one or two months' rent, or around 5% to 10% of the annual rent. Bengaluru, by contrast, seems to operate in a league of its own.
Bengaluru landlords are the greediest in the world
— Caleb (@caleb_friesen2) July 21, 2025
Rs. 23 lakh security deposit (12 months rent) is OUTRAGEOUS
meanwhile, deposits in other cities:
NYC? 1 month
Toronto? 1 month
Singapore? 1 month per year of lease
SF? 2 months'
Dubai? 5%-10% of annual rent
London? 5-6 weeks' pic.twitter.com/WPkl5o40C9
Netizens Slam Bengaluru Landlords
The reactions were fast and furious.
"Two months is a little greedy, maybe," one user wrote, "but 5–6 months is the usual. Low trust society and high housing costs are to blame."
Another chimed in: "In most Indian cities like Chandigarh, Delhi, Gurugram, or Hyderabad, it's one month. Bengaluru is just ridiculous."
Many echoed the sentiment, pointing to not just the massive deposits but also how landlords often deduct arbitrary amounts at the end of the lease. “They'll try every trick in the book to return as little as possible,” someone warned.
Others highlighted the unique quirks of Bengaluru rentals: "Can't invite guests, can't eat non-veg at home. The rules are absurd."
One user said: "Actually don't trust nobroker. When I post my home on FB or WhatsApp a nobroker listing of my house magically appears with imaginary prices that I never agreed upon. For ex: I was renting my house at 35k and according to nobroker it is 40k plus 400k security [I never listed there]."
To be clear, not every Bengaluru landlord is asking for crores in deposit. Data from NoBroker shows that average rents range from ₹20,000 to ₹35,000 for single tenants and can go up to ₹65,000 for couples, depending on location. But high-end properties in prime areas are clearly operating under a very different logic.
Here's the thing: the issue isn't just about numbers; it's about fairness, transparency, and trust. If landlords want to charge a premium, fine. But when that crosses into outrageous territory, especially when global benchmarks are far more reasonable, it's no surprise that people start asking: is this even sustainable?
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