Name: Sunil
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am staying in the same flat for 2 years. The broker is demanding brokerage (commission) every year. This is not legal as his duties are over when he showed the flat first time and took one time brokerage, but he is taking brokerage every year.
If i refuse to pay the brokerage then the broker can say to leave the flat.
Though i know the owner very well but he has his own constraints for renting the flat. So he will agree with the broker.
Is there any law to protect the tenant? What should i do as i don’t want to change the flat every year.
Broker has taken brokerage two times in two years. First when he showed us the flat and made first agreement (1.5 months rent as brokerage + 500 Rs (paper work + police work)).
Second after first year for renewal (1 month rent as brokerage + 500 Rs)
I want you to please look into the matter so that builders and agents (brokers) don’t loot the people their hard earned money. Please help me and others out as it is creating extra pressure to give money to somebody without any reason. It is blackmailing from them. Is there any rule or any body that can protect citizens from these kind of people.
You do not need to give commission to the agent. He has no right asking for it. Regarding paper work like making rent deed etc you can yourself do it. Simply tell your owner you wont be paying any further commissions to the dealer.
If things dont work out you can file a comlaint against the briker in a consumer court.
Dev,
you are right, the thing is that my family is stopping from doing this. they are saying that brokers can do any thing for money. I have wrote 100+ emails to police and ministers but no single person has replied till now.
If i go to police, i may need to vacate the room as police may not help.
Owner is dependent on the broker as he lives far from the flat and broker blackmails the owner that if you will make direct agreement, i will not bring a tenant in future for your flat.
Start looking out on Sulekha.com or some similar websites for ads posted directly by owners. There are good number of owners in Mumbai who are looking to let out their properties directly as they are also feeling the pinch to pay brokerage to the brokers.
I have recently found a flat by directly contacting a owner after having a bad experience with a broker. Its a different story that I am fighting a different case with the broker now.
But my humble urge for all of you is that, please spread awareness amongst like minded people like us and make use of web sites or ads. If not today at least some day we can reduce the broker menace in Mumbai.
P.S: Please do not misunderstand that I am promoting or campaigning for Sulekha. I am a middle class man, not having anything to do with Sulekha. But I am happy with them as its through their ad that I could get rid of this brokerage menace.
Dev,
I will not explain my issue with the broker. I have taken a flat through a broker, which initially I felt was good. But as I started finding issues like leakage, fungus formation all over the walls and ceiling which make the house not suitable for living with small kids.
So I gave notice to the owner immediately, though the agreement is for 11 months.
As I understand we are paying the brokerage for the full contract term. Moreover since there is a fault with the house itself, I will not be bound in anyway by the agreement.
So I demanded for refund of my brokerage amount. But the broker is refusing to do so.
Can I file a case for this in consumer court? If yes, can you provide me the details on how do I go about the same?
I live in Powai, Mumbai.
Read the first line above as “I will now” and not “I will not”. You can also mail me directly if you like.