Lending your flat to family

Letting family live in your flat can be a kind thing to do. Writing it down protects the relationship as much as the property.

Seven points

1. Written leave-and-licence agreement, even with family. A token rent is fine. Register it (compulsory in Maharashtra).
2. A fixed term, for example 11 months, renewed in writing. Nothing open-ended.
3. Bills in your name. Electricity, property tax and society bills stay in the owner's name, with copies sent to you.
4. You pay the property tax and society dues, or get receipts every quarter if they pay. Payment history matters if there's ever a dispute.
5. No changes without written consent. No renovations, structural work or new connections unless you agree in writing.
6. No power of attorney to the person living there. If you need one, give a specific POA to someone else, for one task.
7. A neutral inspection every quarter, with dated photos, so everyone knows the flat is looked after and checked.

Keep safe, outside the flat: the original title deed, share certificate, registered agreement and tax receipts. Keep scanned copies in your own cloud folder.

Why this matters: someone living in a home with the owner's permission generally can't claim it through long possession. But without paperwork, proving it was only permission is slow and costly.

Want Kiteflier to handle this for you? We look after NRI homes in Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and NCR. Book a 15-minute call at kiteflier.co