India, Feb. 25 -- A tenant in Bengaluru has alleged that more than Rs.51,000 was deducted from his security deposit by a US-based landlord who managed the property remotely, citing repainting and cleaning expenses after he vacated a 2.5 BHK apartment. The tenant said he felt "harassed and blindsided" by the deductions, sparking an online debate over what qualifies as standard practice in the city's rental market.

In a Reddit post, the tenant claimed the landlord deducted Rs.36,000 for repainting and Rs.10,000 for deep cleaning, while retaining an additional Rs.5,000 as a "safety buffer" to be refunded only after a new tenant occupies the flat for two weeks.

"I recently vacated my 2.5 BHK flat in Bangalore. Before vacating, the owner ins...