Of theft, eviction and sexist brokers

I have lived in Mumbai for a little over four years now and have shifted houses five times. My first home was in a rundown apartment in Bandra where exorbitant rents meant four of us had to share a cosy 1-BHK.

Until we got robbed six months later. With two laptops, an iPod, a Swiss watch and a month’s rent stolen from inside our only cupboard, we had no other option but to move.

We found a cheaper and larger 1-BHK further north in Andheri. Just as we made to move in with our worldly possessions on a rainy monsoon afternoon, ‘society members’ told us we could not live there without a lease. Even if the landlord vouched for us over the phone from Dubai, they would not budge.

But here’s the thing about the city: people understand moving problems and pitch in to help with the house hunt. Four of us moved our luggage into friends’ apartments and crashed at another friend’s place.

Within a week, we were settling into a nice two-bedroom apartment. Six months later, we were evicted.

Moving again, we found a smaller, dingier apartment where I stayed another six months before moving in with the husband. A year later, the landlord decided he didn’t want to lease the place anymore and we were homeless.

I fell in love with my current home the moment I stepped into it. I have lived there for over two years. So when the lease was up for renewal and the husband was away on work, I agreed to sign the papers myself.

“Nahi, ladki ke naam pe contract nahi ban sakta,” (The lease can’t be made in a woman’s name) the landlord’s broker said.
I’m not exactly a feminist-type and gave him the benefit of doubt. He probably didn’t want to make the extra effort to change the name on the lease. But when I went to meet him, he ignored me, addressing my broker instead: “Ladies log ka bahut nakhra hota hai.”

Angered, I told my agent that I’d rather look for another place and he agreed. Two days later, he called to tell me the landlord’s broker was willing to draw out the lease in my name. I relented, because I love my apartment.

My agent came for my signature and post-dated rent cheques. He got his share of the brokerage, but I haven’t paid the other sexist broker yet.