India, July 29 -- In Mumbai's soaring rental market, the unconventional 'zero-rent' model, where tenants pay no monthly rent but provide a large upfront deposit, has recently made headlines.

This follows an unusual incident in Jogeshwari, where a landlord filed a police complaint against his tenant for failing to pay the full Rs.6 lakh 'heavy deposit' as agreed. The tenant had paid Rs.4.5 lakh during possession, promising to settle the remaining Rs.1.5 lakh later, but failed to do so. When the landlord demanded the balance, the situation escalated and the tenant allegedly rammed his car into the landlord in anger.

Under this arrangement, tenants secure occupancy by paying a one-time, lump-sum deposit, often equivalent to 6 to 24 months'...