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Navi Mumbai techie offers unusual service: will live in your flat without paying rent
A Navi Mumbai tech worker offers a unique rent-free flat-sitting service for empty apartments owned by wealthy individuals, promising to maintain the property.
In a city where real estate is scarce and expensive, one tech worker has come up with a plan to save on rent. A Navi Mumbai techie has offered to live rent-free in apartments sitting empty because their rich owners live elsewhere.
“Hey Rich Stranger, Did you buy an expensive Navi Mumbai flat only to let it rot in silence? Do you pop in once a year, claim the dust, then disappear? Why not lend your flat a soul (me) instead (for free obviously)?” he asked on Reddit.
Techie’s post
The techie offered this unusual flat-sitting service on Reddit through a poster that has since gone viral, earning him much appreciation for his witticism - although many people said he was unlikely to find anyone who would take him up on his offer.
He laid out the finer points of the deal in his poster, saying he would live “like a ghost” in the apartment, without smoking, drinking or partying, and pay for water and electricity. Describing himself as a “chill, tidy developer who works long hours,” he insisted he would bring none of the typical tenant baggage.
“Think of me as a digital monk with a mop,” he advised.
Benefits to homeowner
But what would the homeowners get out of this arrangement? The techie pitched himself as a modern-day caretaker who would clean the apartment, keep it fresh and ventilated, and provide the homeowners with peace of mind that their property is not sitting empty.
He also pointed out that since there is no rent agreement, there is no chance of rent disputes. And nosy neighbours who complain about renting apartments to tenants? Well, here the homeowner can just pass off the techie as a relative, he said.
As a bonus, he offers what he called a “Vastu Reboot Service” for flats with a “reputation,” adding, “If your flat has a ‘reputation’ (like a mysterious death/suicide), I’ll move in first so you can confidently say, ‘See? Someone already lived there!’”
Not happening
His post has gone viral with nearly 2,000 upvotes and a ton of amused comments.
“Rich people are rich because they will let their flat rot rather than give it for free,” wrote one person. “If you are a developer why can't you afford rent ? Having said that, house sitting is a concept in western countries,” another opined.
“I don't think this is gonna work buddy,” a commenter said. “There are lot of squatting issues no sane person will give you entry without agreement,” another pointed out.
