Bengaluru tenant alleges landlord withheld ₹10,000 security deposit unless rental agreement copy was returned

A Bengaluru tenant on Reddit alleged his landlord withheld ₹10,000 of his security deposit unless he returned his copy of the signed rental agreement.

The tenant checked the agreement and found no clause requiring the return of his copy before the deposit refund; the landlord already has the original signed document.

The landlord delayed the refund for weeks, citing an unpaid BESCOM electricity bill, which the tenant paid after consulting a lawyer, but the landlord then added the new condition.

The dispute has sparked debate on tenants' rights regarding security deposit refunds in Bengaluru.