TENANT ALERT CHEMBUR: Warning you on behalf of a friend who just got scammed out of ₹63k by a landlord with a toxic modus operandi (Twinkle Star)
Hey guys,
I’m writing this post on behalf of a close friend of mine who just went through an absolute rental nightmare in Chembur East. He doesn't use Reddit but asked me to share his story to save other house hunters from getting trapped by a landlord who owns multiple properties in the area.
My friend just vacated this guy's flat at Twinkle Star CHS, and the landlord ended up wrongfully keeping an insane ₹63,000 out of his ₹2 Lakh deposit.
Seeing how this unfolded, it’s clear this landlord has a specific, calculated business model to cheat tenants. If you are looking at flats in Chembur and encounter a landlord named Karthik Laxminarayan (who lives at Ekta Panorama and owns multiple rentals, including at Twinkle Star), please read his exact playbook before signing anything.
His Modus Operandi (How the Scam Works)
The "Low Rent" Bait: He intentionally lists his properties slightly cheaper than the local market rate to attract good, salaried tenants quickly. But don't be fooled—he fully intends to recover that "discount" by shaving a massive chunk off your deposit when you leave.
The Notice Period Meltdown: When my friend served a formal, valid 30-day written notice as per their registered agreement, the landlord completely lost his temper over the phone. He first aggressively told my friend to pack up and vacate "tomorrow," and then immediately flipped to trying to legally force him to stay and pay rent until the absolute end of the multi-year term.
Avoiding the Joint Handover: On move-out day, he deliberately makes excuses to avoid a face-to-face walkthrough. He will insist over text that you just drop the keys with his building security guard so you leave the area.
Fabricating the Fake Bill: The exact moment the keys leave your hands, his trap snaps shut. He goes in alone, conducts a solo inspection, and invents a giant laundry list of arbitrary "damages" to justify withholding your money.
The Ridiculous Upgrades He Expects You to Fund
Charging for Structural Issues: He tried to make my friend liable for natural building seepage, wall dampness, and ceiling paint peeling due to weather—even though the registered contract explicitly states the tenant is only responsible for damages *subject to normal wear and tear*.
Free Renovations: He expects departing tenants to pay for a full-house repaint, fixing pre-existing electrical woodwork fixtures, replacing door handles, and deep cleaning so he can hand a pristine, freshly upgraded house to the next tenant for free.
Outright Fraudulent Asset Claims: This was the most shameless part. He actually claimed a "washing machine was missing" and tried to charge my friend for it, while literally typing in the exact same WhatsApp message that he *“did not have any record of it being there”*. The absolute punchline? The flat never came with a washing machine—it was my friend’s own personal top-load machine that he bought himself and moved out with!
### The Takeaway for Mumbai Renters
Just Avoid Him Entirely: If you come across listings under Karthik Laxminarayan in Chembur, save yourself the severe mental agony and run the other way. No minor rent discount is worth losing ₹63k of your hard-earned money at the end.
If You Are Already His Tenant: Protect yourself immediately. The second you finish cleaning and vacating, take a continuous, high-definition video walkthrough of every single wall, ceiling, switchboard, and corner before giving up the keys. The only reason my friend saved the remaining part of his ₹2 Lakh deposit is because he had an unarguable, timestamped video proving the immaculate condition of the flat.
Be incredibly careful out there, guys. House hunting in Mumbai is already tough enough without predatory landlords treating security deposits like their personal renovation fund.
**TL;DR:** Chembur landlord baits tenants with slightly cheaper rent, throws a tantrum during the notice period, avoids a joint key handover, and then invents fake asset theft and structural damage claims to illegally skim your deposit. Warn your friends!