New Delhi: Residents of Supreme Towers in Noida who rented out their flats have been asked by the owners’ association to obtain written permission from the families of bachelors to live there, including in cases if they are an unmarried couple. The diktat is part of a broader mandate issued to the landlords to verify the details of tenants residing in the complex.
Supreme Towers Apartments is a multi-story complex owned by the Supreme Court Co-operative Society comprising lawyers who are members of the Supreme Court Bar Association. According to the society’s rules, only lawyers can purchase flats here. However, non-lawyers can live there as tenants. Given that the complex is close to a prominent university complex, several tenants are students.
The email sent on 21 January by Supreme Towers Apartment Owners’ Association (STAOA) president V.N. Subramaniam asked flat owners renting to boys or girls to ensure the submission of detailed information, including addresses and approvals from family members. It says that if “bachelors are cohabiting with members of the opposite gender, they must submit either a marriage certificate or a formal approval letter from their family”.
Landlords have also been asked to submit more documents, including a copy of the rental agreement and an affidavit with tenant details. All these documents, including the written approval from families, must be submitted to the society office on or before 31 January, the mail said. It added that, in case the landlords fail to comply with the directive, then the society board would be compelled to take strict action.
The development was linked to the 12 January death of a tenant, a law student, who jumped off an apartment on the seventh floor.
Calling the incident “unfortunate” in the mail, the president said that the board has repeatedly communicated the guidelines regarding tenants, including bachelors and family members, for rented premises.
In light of the recent fatality, the board is prioritising safety and security within the society and has, therefore, strengthened the safety measures, warranting the society owners to maintain compliance.
“The Board requests all flat owners who have rented their premises to adhere to the following,” it said, urging for the cooperation of all members in the interest of the “safety and security” of the complex and to maintain “harmony in the community”.
ThePrint reached out to Subramaniam over the phone for his comments. Subramaniam sought time to respond to the questions sent to him over WhatsApp. The article will be updated if and when a response is received.
Meanwhile, residents who spoke to ThePrint were divided in their opinion over the mail, while unanimously expressing issues with college students living in the apartment. They supported the Board’s sentiments to maintain law and order in the complex, but felt that it could have handled the situation differently.
“The Supreme Court has given recognition to live-in relationships. So to have this kind of a circular where families of couples living in flats should give their approval is a bit extreme,” said a landlord, on condition of anonymity.
Another resident shared her concern about the growing nuisance posed by college students. She said the Board could have completely prohibited renting out flats to bachelors or college students, instead of getting parents’ written approval.
This is not the first time the society has imposed such rules. In March last year, the STAOA banned bachelors from being overnight guests without permission from it.
(Edited by Sanya Mathur)
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An excellent step indeed.
The management of the society must be appreciated for taking the right steps in order to ensure a harmonious co-existence.
College and university students are usually a rowdy lot and create a lot of nuisance. It’s best to ban them from being tenants at the society complex.