In India, the governing law for the control of rent, protection of rights of landlords and therefore the rights of tenants are governed by the Rent Control Act.
Introduction to the Rent Control Act
A central Rent Control Act was elapsed the legislature in 1948. It regulates the principles of letting out a property and ensures that neither the landlords nor the tenants’ rights are exploited by the opposite. It should even be noted that currently, each state has its own Rent Control Act, though largely just like one another, they carry some minor differences.
Due to the 1948 Act being extremely stringent and pro-tenant, the important estate market has had difficulty in growing in some areas. There are some properties that are unchained that are still paying the identical amount of rent since 1948, disregarding inflation and increased property valuations.
In 1992 the Central Government tried to originate amendments to the Act via a proposed model to confirm that the property isn’t devalued. Unfortunately, the changes were opposed by the sitting tenants and thus did not get.
Rental Agreement
In India, renting or letting out of any property for residential or commercial purposes is subjected to numerous rules and regulations, such as: – Under the law, it’s a requirement to possess a understanding between the 2 parties enumerating all the terms and conditions of tenancy.
An agreement reached without being expressly put in writing won’t be a legitimate go for the subsequent cases:
• Any changes irrespective of the sort of rectification must even be put in writing.
• The agreement must be dated and signed by both parties, i.e. the owner and also the tenant.
• The agreement must be stamped and registered.
• Without a sound rental agreement, the rights and duties of the owner and therefore the tenant can not be enforced or protected by law.
Therefore, it’s always prudent to enlist the assistance of a legal practitioner within the making of such an agreement as many complexities entail, especially for commercial leasing.
Rights of a Tenant
The Rent Control Act is established not only to safeguard the owner and their property but also to shield the tenant. Under the Act, the few important rights that are given to the tenant are:
• Right Against Unfair Eviction: Under the Act, the owner cannot evict the tenant without sufficient reason or cause. the foundations of eviction are slightly different from state to state. In some states for the owner to evict a tenant, he/she must approach the court and procure a judicial writ for the identical. In some states, the tenant can not be evicted if he/she is willing to simply accept any changes to the rent.
• Fair Rent: The landlord when letting out a house cannot charge extraordinary amounts in rent. The valuation of a property for rent is to be hooked in to the worth of the property. If the tenant feels that the number of rent that’s being asked is just too much compared to the worth of the property, he/she may approach the court to hunt redressal. Usually, the rent is to be between 8% and 10% of the worth of the property, including all costs incurred via construction and fixtures on the property.
• Essential Services: It is that the basic right of the tenant to enjoy essential services like water system, electricity etc. A landlord doesn’t have the correct to withdraw these services whether or not the tenant has did not pay rent with regards to the identical property or a special one.
Rights of a Landlord
The point of interest in an exceedingly rental agreement is often the property, and therefore the property needs to be protected against unfair exploitation. The Rent Control Act entitles the owner with the subsequent rights:
• Right to Evict: The right to evict a tenant is additionally different from state to state. Meaning in some states, the owner may evict a tenant for private and authentic reasons like desirous to live there themselves. Such a reason isn’ta suitable cause for eviction in Karnataka. the owner, in most cases, must approach the court to evict the tenant. it’s also needed by law for the owner to send sufficient notice to the tenant before approaching the court.
• Charge Rent: Being the owner of the property, the owner has the correct to charge rent upon the tenant. Since there’s no actual legislation providing for an upper limit on the rent, the owner may keep increasing the rent charges in keeping with his wishes. Therefore, the prudent thing to try to to in such cases is to stipulate the quantity of increase and therefore the condition of increase within the rental agreement itself. Usually, the rent is increased periodically each year by 5% to eight.
• Temporary Repossession of Property: The landlord may temporarily repossess the property to boost the condition of the property, alter the property in any way or make changes to the property. But such changes to the property must not bring any loss to the tenant or materially affect his tenancy.
Non-Applicability of the Rent Control Act
There are certain cases where the Rent Control Act isn’t applicable when the property has been released. They are:
• Property set free to non-public limited or public limited companies with a paid-up share capital of Rs 1 crore or above.
• Property set free or sub-let to public sector undertakings, banks or any corporation established under any state or central Act.
• Property unfettered to foreign companies, international missions or international agencies.
6 Steps for Renting Commercial Property in India
The real estate industry in India faces cut-throat competition from within, and hence rent agreements should be worked upon smartly. you wish to understand the properinquiries to ask and every one the laws that are best suited to your business.
1. Title Ownership Validation
Always make sure that you have got complete details of the ownership of the property and hence access to the deed may be a must to authenticate the rent. Investigate further to verify there’s no sub-rent or the other sort of rent related to the property before going in an agreement with the owner.
2. Sanctioned Plans and Power Of Attorney (PoA)
If the property you’re renting may be a building under construction, it’s always advisable to verify the title and commencement certificate issued by the relevant authorities. For renting commercial space in a very built-up property, make sure that you check the occupation certificate. it’s also important to test and make sure if there’s any variety of power of attorney involved within the case of indirect rent.
3. Appropriate Renting Agreement
Before getting into any style of mutual commitment with the owner, make sure that the renting agreement is appropriated supported operations. Be specific about the character of the rent, whether it’s a rental lease agreement or a co-working office space agreement.
4. taxation & Mortgage Verification
It is always advisable to verify the revenue enhancement background of the owner just in case of an ad agreement to test if there are any pending disputes or illegal proceedings. this can also show you if the said property is categorized under the revenue enhancement Act of 1961 as ‘commercial’ or ‘residential’ under the event Control Regulations. If there’s any ambiguity during this categorization you maybe levied a TDS within the future.
5. Background Check of the Property Agent
It is also important to run a background check on the house agent before engaging his services. Information on the agents will be assessed through past rent agreements or by word of mouth too. implement the agents sharing details of past clients handled by them. Their inhibition in doing so may bea transparent indicator of fraudulent activities if any, from the past.
6. Validity of Rent Agreement
In addition to other clauses, a business leasing agreement must have the subsequent fundamental information:
• Commencement and termination date
• Location of property
• the entire rental amount like wise because the deposit information.
• Payment Intervals
• Terms of lease renewal
• All of the parties involve d’s names, further as their signatures.
What are the Documents Mandatory for an advertisement Rental Agreement?
• Aadhar card or the receipt received, Any government-issued ID proof
• Submit the initial passport, if not Indian
• Power of Attorney should be presented if ID is demonstrating another person for the registration
• Evidence and Nature of place of business
• Original copy of proof of ownership (landlord’s property)
• Government Approvals, if any
• Two in recent times taken passport size photographs.
• Get the Commercial rental agreement printed on the stamp paper of the recommended value.
• Memorandum of association ∓ Articles of Association, If any
• Association of person’s understanding, if any
• Bonds and Dealership Proofs, if any
• Shareholder & Listing agreements, if any
What is the Procedure to Use the Commercial Rental Agreement?
The completed document must be provided to any or all parties, which can also include the guarantor. Each party should tend the chanceand will need it slow to read the agreement to mend this given the length of the document.
1. The Commercial Rental Agreement would require to be printed on ‘non-judicial stamp paper’ or ‘e-stamp paper,’ which is accessible in each state. the worth of the stamp paper would be conditional the state during whichit’s implemented and also the ‘duration’ of the Rent.
2. Both parties should sign the Rental Agreement after printing the document on stamp paper or e-stamp paper, as applicable. Moreover, each party should hold a replica of the Commercial Rental Agreement.
3. If the rental period is quite 11 months, then the Commercial Rental agreement would require to be registered. Both the lessor and lessee must attend the sub-registrar’s office for the objectives of registration.
Is hike in rent per annum compulsory?
No, rent increments aren’t compulsory. it’s solely at the landlord’s discretion. Also, tenants must discuss the clause before signing the lease. Legally, As per Maharashtra Rent Control Act, landlords are entitled to create a rise of 4 per cent each year within the rent of the premises whereas as per Delhi Rent Control Act which covers properties with rental value of up to Rs 3,500, a landlord can only increase the rent by 10 percent after three years from the date premises are let loose
The rent doesn’t automatically increase per annum. The lease agreement stipulates a rate of ‘escalation of rent’, i.e. is often around 10%. this can bethe strategy wont to determine rent increase if specified. Otherwise the rent is specified until the top of the lease and if the lease is to be renewed the owner and tenant must attain an acceptable revised rent.
Right to extend the rent
Regulations allow landlords to own an favorable position as far as the collection of rent is anxious. Owners of residential or commercial properties not only have a right to charge rent at market rates from their tenants for taking the premises but also to boost the rent periodically. The Draft Model Tenancy Act is instrumental in creating a balance by bringing the urban rented accommodations under the purview of the formal housing sector. The Act clearly specifies the amount, inheritance, rents payable alsobecause the obligations of landlord and tenants. In India, the applicable rate of rent increase is around 10 per cent, every two years, for residential properties. But, mostly, there are laws governing this too. for example, the landlords in Delhi can increase rent only as per Section 6 & 8A of Delhi Rent Control Act.
Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958 (DR Act) exclusively deals with and applies only to the premises which has been let loose for a rent upto Rs. 3500/-. Meaning thereby, if any property rented in Delhi which have a rent exceeding Rs.3500/-, the DRC Act shall not apply.
An amendment to the Delhi Rent Act was made w.e.f. 1st December, 1988. The premises, monthly rent whereof exceeded 3,500/- were taken out of the purview of the Act; Section 6A was incorporated enabling the owner to own the rent increased by 10% every three years by issuing a notice under Section 8 intimating to the tenant of his desire to so have the rent increased and therefore the increased rent became due and recoverable after expiry of 30 days from the date on which the notice was given.
1. Is hike in rent once a year compulsory-
Under the DRC Act, the rent is revised once in three years. Meaning thereby, if A(landlord) has let the premises to B(tenant) for a sum of Rs.2000/- per month, the rent will be increased by 10% in three years i.e. there must be a spot of three years in revising the rent.
Below mentioned is that the extract of Section 6A:
Section 6-A. Revision of rent.—Notwithstanding anything contained during this Act, the quality rent, or, where no standard rent is fixed under the provisions of this Act in respect of any premises, the rent set between the owner and therefore the tenant, could also be increased by ten per cent every three years.
Therefore, under DRC Act, the rent can’t be revised each year. It will be revised once in an exceedingly three years after giving Notice to Tenant regarding enhancement of rent under Section 8.
2. At what basis landlord hike 10% every year-
As already provided under Section 6A, the rent agreed between the owner and also the tenant, is also increased by 10% in every three years and not once a year.
The Division Bench of the Hon’ble Delhi tribunal in Santosh Vaid & Anr. v. Uttam Chand, 2012 SCC OnLine Del 960 has recently held that such increase in rental can only be made as per the mechanism provided within the DRC Act and not otherwise.
3. Is it mandatory-
Not at all. Increase of rent by 10% in every three years is that the discretion of the owner. He may or might not increase the rent in every three years.
4. If not agreed by tenant are landlord forcefully can vacate the room-
Payment of rent on time may be a sine qua non i.e. pre-requisite for enjoying the tenancy. If the correct and valid notice is served upon the tenant, the rent stood enhanced after service of notice and expiry of 30 days. it’s immaterial that if the tenant doesn’t conform to enhance the rent seeable of Section 6-A of the Act.
References:
Book:
1. Delhi Rent Control Act, 1958 (DR Act)
2. Rent Control Act 1948
Online Sources:
1.https://www.kaanoon.com/rate-of-increment-of-house-rent
2.https://www.99acres.com/articles/how-to-negotiate-a-rent-increase-with-your-landlord.html
3.https://cleartax.in/s/rent-control-act
4.https://www.makaan.com/iq/amp/rent-property/are-you-a-landlord-these-are-your-legal-rights
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