India, Jan. 21 -- A social media listing for rented apartments, promising no involvement of a broker, often turns out to be a hoax as it's almost impossible to figure out if the ad is put up by the property-owner or an intermediary. Once the first hurdle is crossed, comes the second challenge of great online-offline mismatch. The properties are frequently found poorly furnished or not furnished at all, making a stark difference from what was shown in images.

A friction between the lessee and the lessor becomes inevitable. A severe trust deficit also breeds discontent over maintenance, rent, and facilities committed. The journey is usually a bumpy ride not just for the tenant alone, even the property owners aren't spared. Shail Daswani, M...