MP Tenancy Act to Regulate Home Rentals

In a bid to regularise home renting the Madhya Pradesh government is bringing about a Model Tenancy Act (MTA). Like other urbanised states, MP will also have rent tribunals and courts where landlords and tenants can settle disputes, and advance payment will have a fixed formula. As per the draft, after commencement of MTA, no premises will be rented except by an agreement in writing on mutually agreed terms. The agreement will be binding on successors of the landlord and the tenant for the remaining period of the tenancy. This means the landlord cannot arbitrarily vacate a premises unless it is prescribed in the agreement, nor can the tenant do anything outside of the agreement. The landlord will have to pay receipt of rent received from the tenant. In case of dispute, tenants may deposit rent directly with the rent authority. The draft says, “Where the landlord refuses to accept any rent and other charges payable or refuses to give a receipt, the rent and other charges shall be paid to the landlord by postal money order or any other method consecutively for two months. If the landlord refuses to accept the rent within such period, then the tenant may deposit it with the rent authority.” It lists out rules for maintenance of properties.