🏠 Landlord kept 40,000 of our deposit for painting a wall that was already peeling

We moved out of our two bedroom flat in Mehdipatnam on the last day of August after three years. The advance we paid was 80,000 rupees, and the agreement said it would come back within fifteen days. I took photos of every room that morning, walls, floors, bathroom taps, even the inside of the cupboards. The landlord walked through, said everything looked fine, and told us to expect the money in the first week. Fifteen days passed and nothing came. I messaged him politely and he replied with a thumbs up emoji only. On day twenty he called and said he would be sending 40,000 because the flat needed painting and some repairs. I asked what repairs, and he said the walls had marks and one bathroom door was loose on its hinge. The door was loose on the day we moved in too. I have a photo from 2022 to prove it. I sent him the photos from both dates on WhatsApp and he read the message and did not reply. My wife says let it go, since 40,000 is not worth a fight over a rented flat. My friend says go to the rent control office, but a colleague who tried it waited four months. Nobody I know has got a full deposit back from a landlord in this city without some kind of drama. I already paid the new landlord one lakh as advance, so money is tight and that 40,000 would help. I am not even angry about the paint. I am angry that he lied to my face on the phone. Two weeks ago I would have said I would never fight over money, but this is getting to me. I keep opening the photos on my phone at night and looking at that loose door like it is evidence. A lawyer friend said a notice from an advocate often works on its own, because landlords hate paperwork. He told me it costs around 1,500 rupees and the letter just has to arrive by registered post. So that is the plan for this weekend, and I will update here if anything happens. If it does not work, at least I will know I tried instead of sulking about it.

Two days after the registered letter is quicker than I expected, siraj, mine took almost three weeks. Maybe it depends on the landlord, but a friend in Hayathnagar says to add a line giving seven days before court. That deadline seemed to scare his landlord more than the lawyer's name did. Rehanali, I would put that line in your notice too, it costs nothing extra.

Update us after the notice goes out, I am curious how long he takes to reply. My brother's landlord in Kukatpally ignored three messages and then paid in two days once the registered letter arrived. I think the lawyer's name on paper does most of the work, like khaja meer said. Keep the postal receipt safe whatever happens, because that slip is your proof of delivery.

The loose door photo from 2022 is the strongest thing you have, so keep the original file with its date. I had 30,000 held back in Gachibowli and a notice from a lawyer cousin fixed it in two weeks. Do you know if your agreement mentions painting at all? Some say it is the landlord's cost after three years. Either way, the phone call lie is worth mentioning in the notice.

Same thing happened to me in Tolichowki two years ago, 25,000 held back for painting a flat I had repainted myself. What finally worked was a legal notice by registered post, a lawyer charged 1,200 and the money came back in nine days. The photos from 2022 are your best card, print them and attach them to the notice. Landlords usually fold once a lawyer's name is on the paper, at least in my case.