When the owner is handing over his/her property to a tenant, it is important to know their background and reliability. Tenant verification has therefore become mandatory in most parts of India, and Hyderabad is no exception. With growing IT, bio-medical, and engineering industries, this city witnesses an influx of population. Such verification is important here. 

Do you wish to find out more about tenant verification in Hyderabad? This article will provide a detailed guide regarding its method and rules.

A tenant verification can be useful to inspect tenants' backgrounds and ensure that this temporary ownership transfer will be secured. Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) makes it mandatory to conduct a police verification before bringing in new tenants.

This process has become popular, as it is quite profitable for an owner. With the growing globalisation, migrating across the world has become common. People regularly search for rental properties to reside in a foreign country.

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Doing a tenant verification is important to avoid discrepancies regarding renting out property. However, landlords must be cautious while renting their properties to new tenants. Here, It can benefit property owners and police in the following ways.

1. Tracking Crime

As the police department gets to analyse the criminal background of tenants, they get to keep track of culprits, terrorists and other offenders. This reduces their chances of committing crimes in future, as the police take measures to prevent these.

2. Unlawful Activities

This verification helps a landlord prevent any unlawful activities on the premises of a house. For instance, students or bachelors often enjoy parties and drug consumption, which can be difficult for the owner. The verification helps to avoid these, as tenants try not to get arrested.

3. Beneficial for Owners Out of Town

If you stay out of town, but your house is on rent, it can be challenging to track its condition and the tenants' activities. A police verification ensures that the tenant who uses your property is a decent person coming from a standard family background.

4. Safety and Maintenance of Property

A police verification helps to maintain a property and ensure its safety. When there is a police verification on a tenant, they become cautious and deal with your property with more care. They try to avoid damaging the property or causing any harm.

5. Identify Terrorists With Fake IDs

Many terrorists try and settle in the city to carry out their terrorist attack plans. Here, a police verification process ensures you are not giving these monsters any shelter on your property. In other words, thorough verification helps identify fake identities.

6. Maintains Fear of Law for Tenants

During police verification, tenants must submit their official details to the officers. As a result, a fear of police action arises among tenants. So, they think if something happens to the property, police will hurl them up and put them behind bars. Also, there is fear of police visiting the workplace and jeopardising their image.

7. Tracking Foreign IDs

Foreigners often overstay in small cities even after the expiry of their contract. So, to avoid any blame falling on you, running a police verification seems like a good idea. It helps rat out unauthorised citizens and avoids them using your place for an illegal stay.

There are two routes for tenant verification in Hyderabad. An online route and the offline route, where both routes are quite simple, but the latter takes longer processing time than the former. Read on to know how one can verify their tenants with these processes.

Online Process for Tenant Verification in Hyderabad

If you wish to conduct a tenant verification in Hyderabad, you can apply for it online. The following steps will be useful. 

Step 1: Download the “Hawk Eye” application on your smartphone from Google Playstore or Apple App Store. This application is vital for the online method.

Step 2: Open this application. Create your account in the “Signup” tab.

Step 3: Create a password. Enter the OTP and verify your account.

Step 4: Log in with your username and password. Select the police commissionerate based on the area of your rental property.

Step 5: Click on the “Register with Police” tab. Click "Choose Person Type" and choose the tenant from the drop-down list.

Step 6: Enter a few details of your tenant, such as their ID proof details (Aadhaar card, PAN card, Driving licence, Voters ID, etc.). Click on “Submit” to finish your application.

After completing your application, wait for at least 4-5 days. You are likely to receive a verification report from the police at this time.

Offline Process for Tenant Verification in Hyderabad

If you are not comfortable with the online verification method, you can use the offline method in this regard. However, you still have to download the form online from the website to complete physical submission. The following steps will assist you.

Step 1: Visit the official website of Cyberabad Metropolitan Police. Click on the option of “Tenant Verification Form”.

Step 2: You will find an option for downloading the form. Click on it to download this application form on your device.

Step 3: Fill up this form with all the detailed information regarding your tenant. Affix his/her photograph.

Step 4: Visit the police station to submit the form. Check all the parts of the Cyberabad police station to analyse under whose jurisdiction will your rental property come.

Step 5: Submit the filled form and photocopies of your tenant’s documents, like ID proofs. Collect an acknowledgement of the application.

Now, wait for the police to verify your tenants for about 4-5 days. You will receive a verification report after this time. It might increase based on their workload.

The following are the documents required for tenant verification in Hyderabad:

• Passport size photo
• ID proof, including documents like driving licence, passport, ration card, income tax document, voter card, etc.

Concerning tenant verification in Hyderabad, individuals must keep certain rules and guidelines in mind. These are as follows.

• As a property owner, you must open a tenant register, entering the names and permanent addresses of the tenants. Moreover, you also need to include other details like their contact numbers, photocopies of ID proofs and photographs.
• You should also include the workplaces of the tenants. Including proof of their employment, such as payslips or appointment records, can be beneficial.
• Furthermore, you need to record their entry date and keep copies of their valid passport or visas if they are foreigners. You need to send these details to the police station.
• The responsibility does not end here. You need to keep a watch on the tenants and their activities. Moreover, you should also monitor people and guests visiting their homes.
• You need to take note of any unusual sounds or activities coming from the rented property. You can also make surprise visits in such cases.
• Rent your home only if you find that the records and background of the tenant are completely clean. Avoid renting them if you find criminal history attached to their names.

If you are thinking about whether it is compulsory to carry out tenant verification in Hyderabad or not, you must understand its importance. Suppose your tenant carries any disobedience or obstructs justice. You, as his or her landlord, are punishable under law.

You can face one month of imprisonment or receive a fine of ₹ 200 or both. However, if the crime is serious, like putting human life in danger or becoming a safety hazard, the imprisonment period can increase to 6 months and the fine to ₹ 1000.

Thus, tenant verification in Hyderabad is a legal mandate. Every owner must complete a police verification before renting their properties to unknown tenants. The police will complete the process. You can apply through both online and offline modes.