A flat looks best on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The problems show up later: no water at 7 am, a 70-minute drive on the Outer Ring Road, a ₹4,000 maintenance bill nobody mentioned.
Use this checklist in three parts: before you visit, at the flat, and before you sign.
Before you visit: rule out the wrong flats
Most flats can be ruled out from the listing alone. Check these before you spend a Saturday on visits:
- Commute at the time you travel. A flat 8 km from Bellandur can be 25 minutes or 75 minutes away depending on the road. Check the drive and the distance to the nearest metro station.
- Rent compared with the locality. If it is far above similar flats nearby, you have room to negotiate. If it is far below, be careful.
- The deposit and any brokerage buried in the text.
- House rules in the last line: bachelors, food, pets, visitors.
- How old the post is. A listing that is two months old is either gone or has a problem.
At the flat: what to check, room by room
Water
Ask where the water comes from (Cauvery line, borewell or tankers) and whether it runs out in summer. Open the taps in the kitchen and the bathroom and see how long hot water takes.
Power
Is there power backup, and does it cover the fans and lights or only the lift? Check the switches, the sockets near the bed and desk, and the geyser.
Damp and seepage
Look at the ceiling corners, behind the wardrobes and under the sinks. Fresh paint in one patch often hides seepage. Ask about the monsoon.
Light and air
Which way do the windows face? Is there cross-ventilation? Is the bedroom window right next to the next building's wall?
Mobile signal and internet
Check your phone signal in every room. Ask which broadband providers already have lines in the building.
Noise and the street
Construction next door, a main road, a temple or a bar on the ground floor. Visit once in the evening if you can.
Building and parking
Lift, stairs, a covered parking spot (and whether it costs extra), security at the gate, where the garbage goes.
Kitchen
Gas pipeline or cylinder, chimney, a space for a fridge and a water purifier, enough cabinets.
Work out the real monthly cost
The rent is only part of what you will pay. Ask for each line and add them up before you compare two flats.
| Cost | Ask | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | Is it fixed for the full term? | Agree the renewal increase now. |
| Maintenance | Monthly amount, and is it inside the rent? | Gated societies often bill this separately. |
| Electricity | Separate meter? Prepaid or monthly bill? | Ask a current tenant what a summer bill looks like. |
| Water | Fixed charge or metered? Any tanker charges? | Areas that depend on tankers cost more in summer. |
| Internet | Which providers are available? | Installation can take a week; plan for it. |
| Parking | Included, or extra? | Covered parking is sometimes charged separately. |
| One-time costs | Deposit, brokerage, society move-in fee, agreement | Move-in fees are common in large apartment complexes. |
Before you sign
- Check who owns the flat. Match the owner's ID with the sale deed or a property tax receipt. See our documents checklist.
- Read every clause: deposit, refund date, lock-in, notice, rent increase, painting, house rules. Our guide to tenant and landlord rules explains each one.
- Agree repairs in writing before move-in: "the owner will fix the bathroom tap before 1 November".
- Record the flat's condition on move-in day with photos and video, and email them to the owner.
- Pay only by bank transfer or UPI to the owner's own account, and get receipts.
Questions people ask
What should I ask the owner before renting a flat?
The water source and whether it runs out in summer, power backup, the monthly maintenance, who pays which bills, the deposit and when it is refunded, the lock-in and notice period, and the house rules.
How do I know if the rent is fair?
Compare it with similar flats in the same locality: same BHK, same furnishing. A Flat Score shows the asking rent against the typical range for that locality.
Is it worth visiting a flat twice?
Yes, if you are close to deciding. Go once in the evening to see the street, the lighting and the noise, and check the commute at the time you will actually travel.
Published 15 January 2025, last updated 3 October 2026. General information for renters, not legal advice. Spotted something out of date? Write to hello@flatscanner.ai.