Canadian creator’s Bengaluru rental shock goes viral; Rs 19 lakh deposit sparks outrage

“Absolutely bonkers what landlords are expecting these days,” Friesen tweeted. “I could literally buy a new Mahindra Thar for less than this deposit.” He also put out a call for recommendations, asking Bengaluru’s residents if there are properties in Indiranagar that require only a 2–3 month deposit, within a rent range of Rs 80,000 to 1 lakh.

By  Storyboard18| Jul 3, 2025 6:15 PM
Friesen’s tweet has since gone viral, striking a chord with thousands of tenants who are grappling with the city's unregulated rental landscape. (Photo: X)

A Canadian digital creator’s astonishment over a sky-high security deposit in Bengaluru has ignited a broader conversation about the city’s soaring rental market. Caleb Friesen, who has lived in India for eight years, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express disbelief at being asked to pay Rs 19.25 lakh as a security deposit for a 3 BHK apartment in Diamond District, Domlur, on top of a monthly rent of Rs 1.75 lakh.

“Absolutely bonkers what landlords are expecting these days,” Friesen tweeted. “I could literally buy a new Mahindra Thar for less than this deposit.” He also put out a call for recommendations, asking Bengaluru’s residents if there are properties in Indiranagar that require only a 2–3 month deposit, within a rent range of Rs 80,000 to 1 lakh.

Friesen’s tweet has since gone viral, striking a chord with thousands of tenants who are grappling with the city's unregulated rental landscape. In Bengaluru, landlords commonly ask for 10-month deposits, especially in prime localities like Indiranagar, Domlur, or Koramangala, despite no legal mandate enforcing such a practice.

The backlash has renewed calls for regulatory clarity and tenant protection in India’s tech capital, where the influx of startups, expats, and IT professionals has pushed rents and deposits to unsustainable levels.

First Published onJul 3, 2025 6:15 PM

SPOTLIGHT

DigitalDigital Entertainment Summit 2025 to debut in Delhi as India stakes its claim on the future of global media

As India eyes global leadership in media, entertainment and gaming, Storyboard18's Digital Entertainment Summit, set to take place on June 27 in the capital, will spotlight the bold strategies, policy pathways and creative innovations shaping the future of the industry.

Read More

IN PHOTOS: At Global Pioneers Summit, visionaries chart the future of business and creativity

From the chiefs of Nestle, Diageo, Colgate, PepsiCo, Zetwerk and CRED to AI visionaries, marketing mavens, top creators, ad legends and leading global agencies' CEOs, the brightest minds converged at the Storyboard18 Global Pioneers Summit for an action-packed day of meaningful dialogues on creativity, commerce and culture.