Nightmare, Home and Second-Class Citizens

Mumbai is known as the city of dreams, which is true in more than one ways; however, finding a rented place to live in it… not so much dreamy. Not everyone is equipped with the resources of purchasing a place and calling it their own. Some of us have to live on rent.  I have been living in this city of dreams since a decade now and have realized that the single most nightmare-ish job is to find a decent rented space within budget which is livable and not eons away from work.

Plus, there are other issues too.

Issue No 1 – Quite a few places do not allow bachelors & bachelorettes, as if they are the ones single handedly responsible for the society to become unbearable and ill reputed. However, this problem has been eradicated for me since I got married.

Issue No 2 – Pets not allowed or pets will not be using the elevator. Even though this is illegal, many societies follow this rule with all their might and pride. Then there are some societies who allow pets but guess what ONLY FOR FLAT OWNERS!!!!! For renters it is still a NO!

Issue No 3 – No parking inside the building for renter’s vehicle.  I still am yet to figure out WHY!!!!!

Issue No 4 (THIS IS THE BEST ONE) – If you are a single girl and dare you smoke and drink, you are labelled as a person with questionable character and your rent agreement is liable to be terminated as “you might be spoiling the impressionable minds of the society with your independent nature”.

There are more such ludicrous rules like having a party in the house is frowned upon by the great members of the society committee. Late nights can make your character sketchy. Clothes like shorts, sleeveless, tank tops, short skirts and the likes of them reveal that you have no sanskaar imparted by parents.

Considering we are paying an enormous amount of rent and minding our own business, I do not comprehend why we are treated as the illegitimate children of the society. We are more under constant scrutiny if the renter is a single girl.