Family or Bachelor: Which is the Better Tenant?

Among the most critical questions of the day, this one might be hard for single people, especially bachelors. A “bachelor” status is unfavourable in India when looking for housing. Forget about the fact that those who deny them access to their residences are understanding of their children who are facing the same issue overseas or in a different city!

Only 3.4 million students can stay on college campuses, even though India’s 935 universities must accommodate 12.3 million migrant students. Furthermore, the unorganised sector is currently the only one providing services to roughly 37.4 million foreign workers who earn up to Rs 10 lakh yearly. According to data provided by PropTiger.com, there is a 46.3 million bed shortage in India due to this segment’s imbalance between supply and demand. It would be prudent to ascertain the degree of hospitality Indian landlords extend to single individuals, given that single employees and students must rely on unorganised players to secure rental rooms. 

According to data readily available online, most homeowners need to differentiate between families and single people. 64.82 percent of landlords are willing to rent to any type of renter, including single professionals, families, bachelors, etc. However, 33% of landlords are only available to “families.” The remaining 2.18 percent of renters are interested in “bachelors only.”

Let’s look at the various aspects of this issue and talk about how to reduce or eliminate discrimination against single people who wish to rent.

Depending on How Big the House Is

You better seek a bachelor to rent your little house or one-bedroom apartment. They don’t need much space and could easily live in a one-bedroom apartment or a tiny house. Single people choose studio flats and smaller residences since living alone is easier to maintain.

Families, whether they consist of a recently wed couple or a family with children, frequently require additional room. You get the point; they have more stuff in their kitchen, more clothes, and more capability overall. Unless they are on a tighter budget, they don’t particularly search for little houses.

Depending on the Facilities

You usually have a lot of extra amenities and services available to your renters when you own a property in a big building society. Clubhouses, gyms, swimming pools, security, etc., are typical community amenities. Families have higher standards than single people and are more likely to look for these things. Safety features like CCTV, security guards, fire alarms, and so on are greatly sought after by families, particularly those with children.

Bachelors are okay with a home with minimal requirements because they frequently work long hours and do not have time to use these amenities. Men don’t have high expectations for single women, but safety is also their top priority.

Depending on how much rent you plan

What is the desired amount of rent and deposit? Budgets are set and constrained for both bachelors and families. Families typically have one or two earners and many dependents, so they can only give you a little. This also prevents the deposit amount from being increased.

One more benefit for single people is that they can rent a place with housemates or flatmates. They don’t mind paying more for their rent because they spread the cost to others. Even with the deposit, your asking power rises if two or three individuals split it. 

Depends on the furniture.

Does the rental home come with all the needed furniture, just some furniture, or none? Unless it’s a newly married pair, most families bring their furnishings, which they’ve accumulated over the years. If your house is furnished, they may need help since they will either run out of room for their furniture or you will need to locate somewhere to store it.

Due to their tendency to travel light, bachelors and single individuals usually search for fully furnished residences. Bachelors would be more interested in renting your house if it were entirely or semi-furnished.

Why do individuals refuse to rent to single persons?

Bachelors are sometimes stereotyped as “bad” tenants for several typical reasons, including:

1. It doesn’t matter to bachelors whether their residence is tidy or in good condition. The shared area is included in this.

2. They blast loud music and host late-night parties, disrupting community peace and causing a nuisance. They are unconcerned about their neighbours’ thoughts.

3. Bachelors don’t seem to care if the apartment building is diverse. Families with children are ignored in their demands. They conduct pool parties and fling their beer bottles about without consideration for others.

4. They need more essential resources in the process. For instance, consider a 3BHK. Four or five people constitute a conventional household, but six bachelors—two in each bedroom—typically live in the same area. Water supplies and sewage treatment facilities are strained due to the natural increase in water use that follows.

5. Bachelors receive much too many guests. If clubhouses are available in the apartment complex, this increases the strain on the security services and the use of shared spaces.

6. Compared to families, bachelors tend to be less stable tenants because they are less likely to stay in one place for the duration of their lease, which can negatively impact the owner’s rental income. They move around a lot and quickly accept work moves, which causes issues for the apartment owner.

7. Bachelors typically disregard and don’t try to follow the complex’s laws and regulations.

There are many inappropriate and biassed items on the lengthy list.

Are the assumptions correct?

Tenant placement for singles or bachelors frequently has clear benefits. If an owner intends to return to their flat in the future, for instance, renting to bachelors or spinsters is typically the best option. When a family tenant is requested to vacate, they frequently resist.

Here’s what the residents said when we conducted a quick survey:

  • Single people make excellent tenants.
  • They are typically the first to offer assistance in an emergency.
  • Bachelors are typically far more helpful in helping the apartment owner with any local duties if the owners are not living in the area or travelling.
  • Many tenants said that even though they did not let bachelors use their flats, they felt compelled to follow the rules established by their management committee. Therefore, they did not mind. Due to the housing society’s regulations against renting to single people, big apartments can occasionally remain unoccupied for months. Non-occupancy charges are another thing they have to pay.
  • Renting a bachelor is profitable because they typically don’t mind paying more because they can divide the expenses with their roommates.
  • Both family residents and single people are equally affected by the issue of inadequate apartment maintenance.
  • Bachelors tend to be the ideal tenants because they are usually the least intrusive and spend most of their days at work.

Why do landlords favour families over tenants?

Many landlords consider families great tenants since they desire long-term lease arrangements. Consequently, owners can handle consistent rental revenue. Furthermore, a common belief is that families will maintain their apartments well, follow the rules and guidelines of the apartment building, pay their bills on schedule, and reduce the number of cases of poor apartment maintenance.

The current situation

There needs to be a legal framework to stop Owners/Management Committees from treating bachelors less favourably when renting to renters. While this is not required by law, it is customary for housing society members to come together and draft a set of terms and conditions when the organisation is created. Clauses are frequently introduced because of their bad past experiences with bachelors and the complaints they’ve gotten. More must be done to address this, even though drawing broad conclusions from isolated instances is biassed and unfair.

Does the ability to enact rules of their own belong to housing societies? Housing societies’ bylaws and regulations are typically quite extensive when they are first registered. They support the Management Committee in overseeing the administration and efficient operation of the community. These regulations cover dos and don’ts about leasing or purchasing an apartment in the complex, as well as care of common areas and administrative operations like accounting. Additional points about parking regulations and other pertinent matters are added throughout time. The intention is to establish a peaceful community.

A crucial consideration in this case is the Management Committee’s authority to instruct the unit owner on leasing or short-term rentals. A vote is held by the Committee, even if the owner is legally entitled to do so as a member of the housing society. Furthermore, the Societies Act permits the housing society to increase the maintenance fees for rented apartments.

Ultimately, regardless of rank, gender, religion, or dietary preferences, every person has the fundamental freedom to live where they choose. Tenant discrimination is equivalent to a violation of their rights.

Also Read – Paying Rent Through Credit Card In India: A Comprehensive Guide

Conclusion

Families, particularly those with children, are not likely to move frequently. Homes near their kids’ schools and other places are what they search for. They most likely will want to relocate once they graduate. In the long run, having a family is preferable.

Bachelors are more prone to move towns, jobs, and residences more frequently because they have no commitments. If their employment requires them to relocate to a new city on short notice, return to their hometowns, get married, etc. The likelihood of them lasting longer than a family would is lower. Choosing a bachelor to rent out your house is the most excellent option if you want to do it temporarily.

Remember that there are exceptions to the norm for both families and bachelors, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each. It has been demonstrated that outdated notions about bachelors causing more problems and families maintaining the house better are untrue. So, choose a renter wisely; Lets Rentz allows you to select the tenant you want with a single click. Thanks to Lets Rentz, finding the ideal tenant for your house is quicker and simpler.