Model Tenancy Act

I have received queries on various occasions from various landlords asking whether rental laws have changed. I hope provide a general clarification based on available information.

Something called 'The Model Tenancy Act' was introduced by the Government of India in 2021 as a model law. 

Do note - a model law is more of a template and does not automatically become binding across the country. Rent regulation falls under the jurisdiction of individual states. The central government drafted the Act as a framework that states may adopt or modify.

The provisions commonly associated with 'rent rules 2025' such as mandatory written tenancy agreements, caps on security deposits (two months’ rent for residential properties and six months’ rent for commercial properties), compulsory registration of agreements, the establishment of Rent Authorities, regulated rent increases are features of the Model Tenancy Act framework.

Like i mentioned above, these provisions apply only in states that have enacted their own tenancy laws based on the Model Tenancy Act.

The Act proposes a three-tier mechanism to reduce reliance on traditional slow civil court procedures:

Rent Authority : Responsible for registration of tenancy agreements and initial dispute resolution.
Rent Court : Handles disputes such as eviction matters and non-payment of rent.
Rent Tribunal : Hears appeals against decisions of the Rent Court.

Inshort - The idea behind the Model Tenancy Act is straightforward.

Landlords and tenants should put their agreement in writing. The terms should be clear. Security deposits should not be excessive. The terms should be transparent.

In return, landlords are given a proper legal system to protect their rights. If there is non-payment of rent, refusal to vacate, or breach of agreement, there is a structured fast process to resolve it through Rent Authorities, Rent Courts, and Rent Tribunals instead of long civil court delays.

Regarding implementation, while the Model Tenancy Act was introduced in 2021, individual states are in different stages of adoption. Some states - including Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh etc have initiated processes toward implementation.

In Kerala, as of early 2026, the state has not yet replaced the existing rent law with a Model Tenancy Act based law. The state continues to operate under the Kerala Buildings (Lease and Rent Control) Act, 1965 for rental matters, and the Model Tenancy Act framework has not been formally enacted or adopted by the Kerala Legislature.

Kerala Police has a service that might be useful to the Landlords.

The Kerala Police provides a tenant verification service through their online citizen service portals - THUNA website and the Pol-App mobile application.

The service is essentially a background verification that checks whether the person in question has any criminal record or pending case in police databases. Landlords can request a Certificate of Non-Involvement in Offences (NIO) for this purpose.

To use the service, applicants shall create an account on THUNA or Pol-App, fill in the details of the prospective tenant, upload identity and address documents, and pay the prescribed government fee.

The request is then processed by the local police station through what they call the iCOPS (internal core policing system ) a platform they use internally. After verification, an officially issued certificate is provided to the applicant.

This service can be used for employee verification and domestic help verification as well

Official link: https://thuna.keralapolice.gov.in 

Here's my take : From what we understand, this appears to be more of a database search rather than a ground-level investigation. In simple terms, it checks whether the person’s details appear in police records. Still it is useful for many.

However, If the police could offer a background ground level verification services (for a fee) ,along with NIO  - many landlords would be happy to pay and use it. Property owners will treat it as a valuable service, and at the same time bring in a new steady source of revenue for the department. In the eco system of property rentals, this could be a potential layer. Am not factoring in logistics, politics or any other social aspects to this. I just know that many property owners will value such a service.

Disclaimer : Details shared are based on online research and not based on using the services first hand. Sharing with the intention to spread the word.

Public Transport

I mostly use my own vehicle. I spend hours on the road almost every day. And while driving offers freedom, it also comes with its share of problems-traffic, parking stress, rising fuel costs etc. Recently i decided to take a look at the present four wheeler market conditions. It is drifting away from simple, practical cars to bulky SUVs. Taxes on these machines are high. Ethanol blending in fuel is concerning.  After all this time on the road, one thing became clear to me : cars are not the solution. As the time passes , the city will become more crowded and this will become evident to more people.

I imagine a future Trivandrum, a few years from now, where clean, well-maintained transportation modes such as buses (AC and non-AC, both public and private) run on time. Not overcrowded. A proper real-time app that shows where the bus is, when it will reach your stop, maybe even lets you book a seat. Add Metro, Uber, Rapido, autos, and taxis into that mix, and vehicle ownership starts to feel optional. We have already seen it happen-people who once drove everywhere now take Uber autos or use Vande Bharat. When transport system becomes predictable and comfortable, even those who can afford their own vehicles choose it.

I know people who love their vehicles, they are very passionate about them. Then there are those who use it for what it does. The government is pushing EVs, ethanol blending in fuel, and road network expansion. Better connectivity, greener alternatives etc. But if public transport becomes superior, a lot of people won’t need to own cars / vehicles at all. That shift will reduce traffic, lower emissions, and free up a lot of space and time.

From a real estate perspective, infrastructure shapes lifestyle. A developed city isn’t one where everyone owns vehicles-but one where everyone, regardless of income, finds public transportation system to be the easiest and most sensible choice. Not because of any societal or moral obligations but due to practical reasons.

Until that day comes, private vehicles are still practical in Trivandrum.  But once public transportation system becomes seamless [ with no compromises in comfort or convenience ] - it will be a real upgrade.

Trivandrum

As someone born and brought up here and someone who now earns a living doing commercial real estate in Trivandrum , I will admit upfront, I am biased.

But I am also someone who tries to keep his eyes and ears open. I travel the city, speak to people on the ground, keep an eye on the relevant news, watch how neighborhoods change, how deals unfold. And what I sense now is this, we are at the beginning of something that generations before us could only dream of.

I have been watching Trivandrum with curiosity for years. I know it reasonably well. For the longest time, it felt like a city caught between its past and its potential. Beautiful, calm, a bit laid back and not fully awake. That’s changing slowly, quietly, but definitely.

I am not writing this as an urban planner, a policy expert, or someone with access to insider knowledge. I am just a common man, with both feet on the ground, trying to piece together what I see and feel around me. So this is just a common man’s perspective.

If you look around, there is no flashy success story. There is no overnight boom. But if you look closely, you will see something taking shape. Trivandrum is building itself thoughtfully and intentionally into a city that could offer real opportunity, without losing what makes it liveable.

The most important piece in that puzzle, in my view, is Vizhinjam Port. For the first time in a long time, Kerala is going to have a real seat at the global trade table. This port isn’t just about big ships and containers. It’s about opportunity ; logistics hubs, warehouses, cold storage chains, and new businesses we haven’t even imagined yet. It puts Kerala back on the map, not as a distant corner of the country, but as a serious gateway to the world.

And if you look around, you can see the city is getting ready for it. The Outer Ring Road will connect the port to the national highways. A Metro is in the works, starting from the IT corridor and running through the city. Roads are being widened, the airport is being improved, and you can already see new townships forming around these transport spines.

For decades, Malayalees left the state in search of work. Migration is in our DNA , we are everywhere. But we shouldn’t have to leave because there are no opportunities at home. There’s a clear effort to bring opportunity here, not just prepare people to go elsewhere.

Technopark continues to grow, and that’s encouraging. I do have some doubts about the IT sector as we know it is bound to change drastically in the years ahead, with AI taking over routine job of a typical IT employee. But logistics.! That’s about to explode and Trivandrum is well-placed to benefit. If you’re building something ; a career, a business, a life this city is starting to give you something solid to stand on.

Tourism will evolve too. The focus is slowly shifting from numbers to quality. The government wants to offer richer experiences, better infrastructure, and deeper engagement with the local culture. It’s not about turning Kerala into a budget holiday factory. It’s about offering something honest, rooted, and meaningful while also helping local communities thrive.

Our strengths in education and healthcare continue to hold. The public health system is improving, and there’s serious conversation about positioning Kerala as a center for wellness, elder care, and even global medical services. On the education front, the shift is toward skilling and aligning with industries that are relevant to where the world is headed. I hope we have world class education facilities in the years to come.

Of course, things aren’t perfect. Climate change is real. Floods, heat, extreme weather. Urban congestion is creeping in. Land prices are rising. Water, waste, and transport systems are under pressure. But what gives me hope is that we’re not ignoring these problems. There’s an honest attempt to face them, plan better, and build more responsibly.

So why am I writing all this?

Because I think we’re at a real turning point. If you’re from Trivandrum, or even just someone who’s wondering whether to stay, invest, return, or build , pay attention. Look around. The signs are there.

I am not saying Trivandrum is going to become the next Bangalore or Dubai. It doesn’t have to. It can be something better , a city that works for its people, that offers real growth, that keeps its peace and its rhythm while opening new doors.

As in life, nothing is certain, But i really think .....  in time the world will come to Trivandrum. 

Boring Businesses

We work with hundreds of business owners and new entrepreneurs every year. We get to hear many ideas, plans and vision. Most of them are bold. 

But here are some not so cool businesses that has the potential to make money. 

1) A cost effective and scientific solution to get rid of food waste and other garbage from homes. The present waste collection and disposal system is a let down in most places. We need more efficient and environment friendly solutions. 

2) A chain of clean, well maintained toilets and refreshment stops across the state.

3) Healthy food that tastes like junk food.

There is money to be made in hard to solve boring problems of the society.

If you are a business owner looking for space to establish your next venture - contact us and we can discuss your requirement in detail.

Rental Agreements

An unregistered 11 month rental agreement could be done on a Rs.100  stamp about 10 years ago. Then it jumped to Rs.200, later Rs.500, and now it’s Rs.510 e-stamp ( the amount a typical e-stamp vendor charge ). The way these rates are increasing, it feels like they’re moving at warp speed. Registration isn’t needed for 11 month agreements, but having it on e-stamp makes it legally valid. 

TDS on rental income

As per the latest budget, TDS on rental income will be applicable only if the yearly rent is more than 6 Lakhs, instead of the earlier limit of 2.4 Lakhs. That is for the monthly rent up to 50k , TDS need not be deducted.