I am a landlord who owns a small apartment in Bengaluru, which I have rented out for the past four years. In April 2024, I decided to increase the rent by 10% due to rising maintenance costs and inflation. I sent my tenant, Anil, a written notice in advance, in line with our rental agreement, which requires a one-month notice for any rent changes. However, Anil refused to pay the increased rent, claiming that he had made some repairs and improvements to the apartment himself and that this should offset the rent hike. These repairs were never discussed with me, and he did not seek my approval before making them.
Anil continues to pay the old rent and is refusing to vacate the property, despite the fact that our rental agreement has now expired. I am considering taking legal action to either enforce the rent increase or evict him from the property.
