Twitterati fret as a tweet on city renting woes go viral

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: A viral tweet has yet again brought to light the struggles a newcomer to the city has to go through while trying to find a house or flat on rent. Manthan Gupta, a Twitter user, shared a picture of a South African jail cell with the caption: “Finally found a fully furnished home in Bengaluru. Gated society and 24*7 security”.

The tweet has now gone viral garnering multiple responses of different kinds. While Gupta posted the picture in order to sarcastically draw attention to the difficulties of getting rented accommodation in Bengaluru, many thought it to be an actual house available to rent and inquired for details. On the other hand, another user asked sarcastically, “Rs 75k rent and Rs 1L deposit?” “Prime property with ample sunlight, efficient storage and design comes free with a bed and uniform,” said another.

“I believe public shaming is in order. 'Landlords' have to understand market forces. Shame the fellow and have his place be vacant indefinitely,” said Sudeb Roy. Another user rambled about his thoughts on the prison system and said, “I think prison can be a transformative experience. It can help make people more centred, help them get back in shape, and may develop some very positive habits. Honestly, someone should create a way for people to voluntarily rent a jail cell.”

A half-yearly report (January-June, 2022) by No Broker, a property rental and buying portal, revealed that on average, rents have increased by 12 per cent in the majority of the metro cities in the nation, with the highest increase being in Bengaluru at over 16.7 per cent