The song from the movie Gharaonda ‘Do Deewane Shahar Mein Raat Mein Yaa Dopahar Mein”; somehow resonates the way life has been for me for the past few months. It has been an uphill task to help a friend find accommodation in Mumbai. My friend was looking for a place closer to his office so as to save on the grueling travel time and the mounting transportation expenses (the taxi and auto fares in Mumbai have touched the roof). He had a fixed budget (though I persuaded him to increase which he did so very reluctantly J). Born and bought up in Mumbai, I spent 20 years staying in accommodation provided by the company where my father worked and then we purchased our own house. So I wasn’t sure about how to look for a rented place.
The search started on the internet. makan.com, 99acres.com, indiaproperties.com, magicbricks.com, quikr.com and the list goes on. It took about two days just to search the net and narrow down the choices. We needed a furnished flat within the budget which was proving a difficult combination. To top it, my friend is a bachelor. It’s surprising how many societies and owners refuse to let flats out to single people. In a city like Mumbai, where so many people come from other cities for further studies and jobs, single persons can’t find a decent roof over their heads.
Anyway after making a list of a few agents, taking down the house details, on a sunny Sunday afternoon I set out for the recce. The area we shortlisted was Prabhadevi, in the heart of South Mumbai. Our school was in the same vicinity so I was quite familiar with the area. A thin lanky fellow walked up to me and introduced himself as the property agent I had spoken to on the phone. He was 5ft nothing and looked no more than 15 years old. And I thought to myself what a great start this seems…Phew!!! All the buildings in that area are older than 30 years and there are no elevators. I went up and down some four buildings and saw about 6 flats but something was amiss in each. One which was fully furnished and well done up, but was 4k more than the budget. The other was so unclean; I wondered how people treat houses just because it’s rented and doesn’t belong to them. I almost finished half the bottle of sanitizer once I got out of that house.
I also realised that there is a huge difference in the details mentioned on the net and how the houses actually were. They say semi-furnished and all that is there is a lonely cupboard. Fully furnished in some cases meant only a lousy mattress, cupboard and a desk…
The first trip was a total waste. I had exhausted the first list. This meant going through the net again and searching for some more. This went on for the next 2 weeks, and all the property agents in that area knew me by name. I became the most sought after client.
From Prabhadevi to Worli to Lower Parel to Mahalakshmi, I must have visited at least 15-20 flats. Finally after doing the whole circle, I came across the same flat that I had seen on the first day but didn’t quite like. The owner agreed to rent it out in the budget we had and agreed to provide the flat with all the necessities.
So on a Friday evening, all excited to finally close this deal we met with the flat owner with a line of brokers tagging along. We seemed to hit it off well with the owner and after inspecting the house; we handed over a list of things we wanted rectified in the flat. When it came to discussion on the money matters, the owner demanded all rent payment in cash. Wow! That came as a surprise because I had told the agent that all payment will be by cheque. We negotiated hard with him but he refused to budge. It was such a dampener and I couldn’t believe that this was happening. It meant going through the same ordeal of looking again which I just couldn’t handle. All guns blazing, we couldn’t manage to change his mind.
Downright pissed, but not ready to give in so easily I started all over again. But nothing seemed to be working. Meanwhile my friend had got an ultimatum from his current owner to vacate the flat he was staying in. He was angry and frustrated and I was tired and disheartened. Is it really so hard to find a decent roof over your head in this city???
Somehow I don’t know why but my intuition kept telling me that I should try for that house again. I called the property agent and requested him to try again. Gave him some pep talk about how only he can handle it etcJ. It took a few days and many phone calls and going back and forth…the owner finally agreed to all terms and conditions and my friend moved in a few days later. Mission accomplished!!!
During my entire search, it become evident to me that housing apartheid exists so blatantly in this city. Every broker asked me a plethora of questions on the proposed tenants’ marital status, caste, eating preferences etc. It was funny because we were not talking about security concerns and that should be the top priority in renting out a house. Not whether I am a veg or a non-veg.
Many localities in Mumbai (and I think it will be true for other cities as well) have unwritten codes of barring people based on religion, vegetarianism, marital status etc etc.
I couldn’t agree more when I hear people say, in Mumbai city you can find yourself “roti” and “kapada” but only lucky ones get the “makaan” too! A big fight for every inch of available space and only the persistent win!!!!
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