Dear Editor,

This is with ref to the above mentioned plea in last issue’s Letters To Editor. Unfortunately, the Rent Act, allowing rents to be frozen since the 1940’s has contributed to such problems. If the tenants paid the market rent, such problems would not occur. Having got accustomed to paying just a few Rupees rent, tenants all over Mumbai, face similar problems. They don’t want to pay more rent, nor do they want to pay for the repairs. So, who will bear this burden?
Anyway, with ref to their request for help, The Rent Act has several provisions available to take care of such problems:
a) they can file a case against landlord and compel him to carry out the repairs.
b) they can repair the building themselves and claim the money from the landlord.
c) they can deposit their rent in court, if landlord is refusing to accept the rent.
Since MHADA is involved, the tenants can also take legal action against MHADA. You need guidance from a good Rent Act lawyer, who would properly guide them on what is to be done. If they want, they can send me copies of the relevant papers and I can get the basic legal advice from my lawyers. Then they can decide how they want to proceed. (I am a landlord and also a tenant, and have many rent related cases, so am quite familiar with the legal process and could put them in touch with proper legal advice).
They can email me at zoru@hotmail.com or call on 9821145767.

Zoru Bhathena