7 Crucial Points to Keep in Mind before Signing a Rental Agreement

Renting a home in India can be quite complicated because of the research and the planning required. If you wish to rent a home in India, it is extremely vital that you’re aware of what to look for prior to signing a rental contract

There are numerous elements that can be included in a rental agreement, and not all of them are beneficial to the tenant. In this article, we will talk about some of the most vital things you need to check before signing a rental agreement in India. 

What the Rent Includes

You need to thoroughly check the rental contract. Generally, the monthly rental amount typically comprises utilities such as electricity, water, and gas. However, be sure to check if it also contains maintenance charges and property taxes. 

Kinds of Tenancy

There are two kinds of tenancy agreements in India – the leave & license agreement and the lease agreement. A leave & license agreement consists of a duration of 11 months, after which it can be renewed. A lease agreement has the lease tenure for up to at least 12 months and can be renewed once the term is over. 

Notice Period & Penalty

If you’re looking at homes for rent India, one of the most important things to look at would be the notice period and penalty. The majority of the rental agreements have a minimum notice period of 30 days (one month). If you wish to leave earlier, make sure to check if there is a clause that talks about an early exit fee. Generally, one month’s rent would be charged as a penalty. 

Rent & Deposit

It is important to check the monthly rent amount. Ensure that the rent is budget-friendly for you and that it is light in your pocket. It is also imperative that you check the amount for the security deposit. This is generally one month’s rent but it can change depending on the landlord the agreement can differ depending on the landlord. The contract will state the monthly rental amount and the security deposit. Be sure the rental amount is aligned with the relevant market rates. 

Register the Rental Agreement 

Once you have signed the rental contract, ensure that it does get registered at the office of the sub-registrar. The fees for the registration are generally around 0.25% to 0.50% of the entire sum of the agreement. 

Check for Lock-In Period 

The majority of the contracts have a lock-in period of approximately 3 years. This means that you cannot exit the property before this period is over. 

Duration of Rent 

When you’re looking at available flats for rent in Mumbai, it is imperative to look for the length of the lease in the rental contract. The tenure of the lease is generally around 11 months, after which it can be renewed. Be sure to check if there are any clauses that state an escalation in the rent after the initial first year. Make sure to enquire about it before you sign anything. 

If you wish to know more about the various residential projects by a number of developers across India, then subscribe to CRE Matrix, a leading real estate data analytics company in India, as they can offer several tools to facilitate this. 

For more such exciting analysis and details on real estate, visit CRE Matrix.

Key Differences between Lease & Rent: What Should You Opt For?

How many of us were aware that leasing and renting is not exactly the same thing? Thanks to their many similarities, it’s easy to assume that both the terms are one and the same. Until you enter into a leasing or rental agreement India, you will not be able to spot the subtle differences between the two concepts. Even though the two words are frequently used interchangeably, leasing a commercial space is not the same as renting it. 

In this blog article, we aim to educate on some of the key differences between a ‘lease’ and ‘rent’. 

Lease vs. Rent 

A rent contract, a document signed between the tenant and the landlord to make the renting process official, can either be a lease or a license. Whether a tenancy could be carried out via a license or a lease agreement is fundamentally decided by the tenure of the tenancy. 

Under the lease, the landlord is required to transfer the right to make use of the property, to the tenant for a specific period of time in return for the rent. Leasing is typically observed more in the commercial real estate space sector in India. On the other hand, a rental agreement India is regarded as a legal contract where the landlords give their property to a tenant for residential/commercial use for a shorter period. 

Key Differences between Lease & Rent

Here are a couple of differences between leasing and renting based on the following factors:

Parties Involved: When you enter into a lease contract India, the parties involved are referred to as lessor and lessee, whereas in a rental agreement, the relevant parties are known as a landlord and tenant. 

Time Span: A lease is generally agreed upon for a longer duration, i.e. 6-12 months or more as decided by both the parties. On the other hand, rent is for a shorter time frame, i.e. on a monthly basis or it can be up to 11 months. 

Repair Expenditures: The monetary expense for maintenance and repairs has to be borne by the lessee whereas when it comes to a rental agreement, the tenants need to pay for this expenditure. 

Terms & Conditions: In a leasing contract, the terms and conditions cannot be altered once they have been signed and agreed upon by both parties. Nevertheless, if both the lessee and lessor decide to revise some portion of the agreement they will have to get into a lease amending the contract. On the other hand, landlords can modify the terms in a rental agreement arrangement by giving a head’s up to the tenant. 

To sum up, these are four key differences between leasing and renting a residential or office space in India. You can use CRE Matrix – a leading real estate data analytics firm in India – to give you a detailed breakdown of the leasing and rental status of numerous brands/companies across the country. 

For more such exciting analysis and details on real estate, visit CRE Matrix.