Rental blogs here say only south Indians are preferred, tenants tell Vasudha Venugopal
“Didn't we have something like this earlier too?” asks Nayan Gupta, an IT employee and a resident of Velachery who has been in the city for almost three years now. His response to the ‘tenant information form,' introduced by the Chennai Police recently, is one echoed by many residents of the city from North India who have many experiences to narrate.
In the past three years, Nayan has changed three houses and thanks to frequent on-site postings, transfers and change of offices, he has already had a dozen room mates. “Often, the deposit is in somebody's name and the new tenants pay him back and the cycle continues. It is difficult for the owner to keep track of all tenants,” he says.
However, the new system of landlords submitting details about their tenants, as part of the enumeration process of hundreds of tenants residing in the city, may actually change the way it works. Senior police officials say the response from both landlords and tenants has been good, and more steps are being planned to ensure the process is smooth. “We also have some Hindi-speaking people to render help,” says a senior police official.
“The idea is to keep track of all information about individuals so that we can know, from the discrepancies in their behaviour, if they have any agenda. Verification with the employer or the education institute will also follow,” he says.
Reactions differ and so do experiences. Hari Kumar Singh, an engineer from Uttar Pradesh, says, “Our house owner brought us the forms as soon as it was announced. He ensured all of us filled it up, and also collected photocopies of our IDs. It didn't matter much because these days all employers, men's hostels and even cyber cafes do that.”
However, IT employees say the form was the topic of discussion in many canteens. “Not many talk about it, but a few were very upset because the owner asked for details only from specific people,” says Aniket Thomas, a resident of Guduvanchery.
There are other stakeholders too. For instance, P. Balagopal, a real estate broker in Mylapore, is in charge of seven apartments that he lets out to “IT people'.
“The owners are all settled abroad but have nominated power agents to sign the rental agreement. I take care of the rest of the procedures, including mailing the profiles of the people to the owner and transferring the rent. All that will get difficult now,” he says.
And anyway, it is not at all easy getting a house here on rent, especially in the 'core' areas – T.Nagar, Mylapore, Adyar and Alwarpet - of the city, as compared to the outskirts, say many youngsters.
Many rental blogs here specify ‘only south Indians preferred' and many building associations too insist on having families alone. “Families are charged at least 10 per cent less as rent, but many house owners prefer them over bachelors,” says R. Pachamuthu, a broker.
The usual restrictions imposed by house owners include those on cooking non-vegetarian food, long-duration visits by family or friends, and loud music. Surprise checks by owners are also part of the package, says Vinay Parasher, an IT employee from Uttar Pradesh.
But, in some areas, they seem to be the preferred lot such as on Old Mahabalipuram Road where the ‘PG system of renting,' prevails, tenants pay individually for the room they occupy, says Devang Rana.
“I pay Rs.10,000 for my room, with an AC and Wi-fi facility. There are eight of us who stay in six rooms (two 3-bhk houses modified to be one unit). Some who share rooms, pay less,” he says.
Devang, who is from Bihar, is yet to get any notification from his landlord, but hopes it is not very intrusive.
“Right from communicating with people to adjusting to the climate, there are many problems we face. And, we are here to work for only for a few years. Very few of us want to settle down here,” Devang says.
The duration mentioned in the order is for you to give the details to the Police Department irrespective of the date you let your home for rent. So forget about the date in which you let your home for rent and collect the information and give it to the Police. Also guys please stop adding words like Tamils, North Indians, etc. This has nothing do with the race of the tenants. Also stop comparing your tenants based on their race.
Media calls this Racial profiling. For years the North Indian language "Hindi" is being imposed in elite schools known as "CBSE" schools, railway stations, airports, airlines, income and excise departments, passport offices, banks across Tamil Nadu. If we question that practice, it is called Tamil chauvinism but this practice of Hindi language chauvinism and imposition has always been denied. Like it or not, people with the "esteemed" language have never felt it necessary to learn another language. Tamil Nadu is one of the most culturally contrasting state but peaceful state unlike Karnataka, Maharashtra or Delhi where hate crimes occur regularly but denied. But when serious crimes such as murder,bank robbery, shop looting and gun posession are conducted by the small number among migrant population, there is going to be lack of trust on migrants as a whole.The profiling and data collection from migrant population is justified since in the past the accused never even had proper address.
I really dont know keeping all these Police do what? if the criminal is identified then there are n ways to catch them.Let TN police should learn that first, rather collecting documents from each home. Its no use just a waste of time for Landlords. So that next time if the culprit did find they can atleast catch hold the Owner. Really feel funny about TN police and government.It will be better if TN police should find all these Landlords paying tax for there income as rent or not.If this is the case to trace any individual lets put a chip in every one and track daily.
Instead of keeping a list of all outsiders its better to keep a track on the crimal list.
This isn't a big surprise when it is a norm to see 80% of ads
pertaining to the apartments in the so mentioned 'core' areas
shamelessly proclaiming their preferences to specific dravidian castes.
With 2 hour daily power cuts, weekly garbage clearing task forces, old
falling apart kind of apartments in prime locations, it is really hard
to feel the city corporation's presence. Don't the migrant employees
now have a reason to ask their companies for special allowances when
posted in such an unfriendly place? I see no reason why MNCs should
even consider Chennai as an option. Why be in an unwelcome place!
Quote:'The police order says landlords/oweners of the residential premises shall henceforth furnish particulars of the tenants at the time of let/sublet/rent out any accomodation to any person in the prescribed form to the SHO of jurisdiction Police station. 2.The order shall come into force with effect from 3.3.2012 and shall remain in force for a period of 60 days i.e upto 1.5.2012(both days inclusive)unless withdrawn earlier' unquote.
Please (any lawyer) clarify that accomodation let out earlier to 3.3.2012 should also be furnished to local SHO or only accomodation let / sublet / rent out during this 60 days alone has to furnished to SHO. Any competent person please clarify.
This system of reporting should be simplified. Instead submitting the form at the police station, the particulars can be furnished online in the police website.All photo id proof accepted by BSNL while issuing post/prepaid SIM cards can be accepted. Maintenance of all these forms is also a big task for the police department. I do not know whether they are issuing acknowledgement.
It is also suggested to the Police that whenever a tenant vacates his or
her premises, he or she should give it in writing to both the Police and
the land lord that he or she has vacated the house on such and such
date. It is also requested to keep visitors note book in the premises of
the tenant to see who are all coming and staying with the tenant. The
Police department should cross check all the visitors books kept in the
custody of the tenant.
Its stupid of people slamming the government saying its racial
profiling. When the same or even worse things are done in US (many of
them who go onsite would vouch this) or any foreign they say its ingenious idea and tell we should follow the same. Its a good practice
followed in Bangalore. I'm sure many techies would have been there. I
myself was in Pune where our lease agreement must be signed by a
lawyer and produced in court. So telling this is not good is something
stupid. This is neither profiling as the details of all tenants south
or north are obtained nor prosecuting. TN is growing day by day and
hence its essential we need to be safe than sorry.
Media is making it a north Indian issue. The fact is owner is supposed to provide details of tenants irrespective of where they are from. And this happens in every state. Even I had to provide all my id proof etc when I had to stay in a rented house in Mumbai.
As per the Govt initiative irrespective of whether the tenant is a local or from out of the State, they should provide details of their permanent address, office address with job description and the address of his/her previous residence. I would like to point out that it is not racial discrimination.
Every North Indian should not be doubted, the Police should have announced that the responsibility rests on the house owner, to keep an eye on the tenant. If the same is repeated in every other state, it will become miserable to move out of one's state? If local rowdies engage in such activities, how will the police locate their addresses? Is everyone a history sheeter, nowadays?
It is a stupid initiative to collect the names and photos of people belonging to different state. Is it a precursor to what MNS did in Mumbai ?
Shame on TN Government for racial profiling. Either collect for everyone or no one.
PS - I have rented a home to a group of people from Orissa who are working in TATA Consultancy Services. My opinion is tamils who resided previously in my home were worse than the North indians.
Please Email the Editor