Police NOC no longer mandatory for Mumbai renters

Mumbai Police on Monday issued a general public notice stating that police No Objection Certificate (NOC) was not required to rent out a flat or an apartment in the city.

The regulation has been in effect for several years, and the notification is intended to serve as a reminder to those who approach the authorities that a document is not necessary for renting out an apartment or flat in the city.

According to a report by Mid-day, the notification specifies that property owners can inform the authorities about the rental property by applying online, submitting an application directly to the relevant police station, or sending the application via registered post to the concerned police station.

For the convenience of flat and house owners, online services have been established. A one-time password (OTP) will be sent to the owner's phone number for verification purposes. It is necessary to ensure that all information provided is accurate, and the rental property's address cannot be the same as the landlord's address.

These services are provided free of charge, and any intermediaries attempting to profit from them should be immediately reported to the relevant local police.

In March of this year, Mumbai Police issued precautionary measures regarding renting or leasing properties to foreigners within the city.

As per the orders if the accommodation is let/sub-let/rented out to a foreigner, then the owner and the foreigner shall furnish his name, nationality, passport details ie, passport no., place and date of issue, validity, visa details i.e. visa no., category, place and date of issue, validity, registration place and reason for stay in the city.

The order also stated that some checks should be put on landlords/tenants so that terrorist/anti-social elements in the guise of tenants may not cause subversive activities, riots, affray etc.  The order came into force with effect from March 8, 2023.