Rs 23 lakh deposit to rent a Bengaluru home? Viral post claims it's costlier than New York & Dubai

Time of India

3 days ago

A Rs 23 lakh
security deposit
for a
4BHK rental
in Bengaluru has ignited a firestorm online after a Canadian digital creator called out what he says is greed at its worst.
The listing, which surfaced on social media, shows a fully furnished 4,500-square-foot house in Bennigana Halli going for Rs 2.3 lakh a month—paired with a jaw-dropping 10-month deposit.
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The post has gone viral, sparking outrage, debate, and even defense of Bengaluru's often-criticized rental market.
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'Bengaluru landlords are the greediest in the world'
The backlash began when Canadian digital creator
Caleb Friesen
took to X (formerly Twitter) to share the listing and voice his disbelief. His words were sharp:
"Bengaluru landlords are the greediest in the world. Rs. 23 lakh security deposit (12 months rent) is OUTRAGEOUS," he tweeted.
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Friesen later clarified that the post was about 10 months' security deposit, not 12.
— caleb_friesen2 (@caleb_friesen2)
Friesen didn't stop there. He compared Bengaluru's rental norms to those in major global cities—where deposits are far more tenant-friendly. He pointed out that in New York City and Toronto, it's usually one month's rent. Singapore demands one month per lease year. San Francisco? Two months. Dubai typically asks for just 5-10% of annual rent, and London caps it at 5-6 weeks.
By contrast, the Bengaluru listing demanded a full year's rent upfront as security.
'They are asking because people are paying…!!!'
The debate quickly caught fire. Social media users chimed in, some siding with Friesen's frustration, while others offered context about the city's rental dynamics.
One user wrote, "Very greedy and they will try their level best to cut everything from the deposit when you leave and return pennies."
Another commented, "12 months is a little greedy, maybe. But mostly it is 5-6 months of rent. Low trust in society (unfortunately) and high cost of housing (compared to other cities outside India) are the main reasons."
A third pointed fingers at tenant behavior: "They are asking because people are paying…!!! No landlord wants their house to be unoccupied. Once people stop paying the security amount equivalent to 12 months of rent, they will bring down the security amount to 1 month."
And a fourth raised a broader question: "Why are price controls in some places but not others? The government is introducing them for movie tickets, a luxury. Why not add price controls for housing, a necessity?"
For now, the Rs 23 lakh deposit may remain an outlier—but it's shone a harsh spotlight on a rental system many argue is overdue for reform.