An elderly couple, owner of a flat in a housing society in Greater Noida, is forced to spend nights on stairs outside the house as the tenant - a woman - has refused to vacate it. Sunil Kumar and Rakhi Gupta have spent more than a week on the stairs with their belongings but the ordeal is still continuing. The couple owns a flat on the 15th floor in Shri Radha Sky Garden Society in Greater Noida's Sector 16B. They say that the rent agreement expired a month ago.
"We gave our flat on lease to Ms Preeti in July 2021. The term of the lease was 11 months, which ended last month. And we also intimated her two months ago to vacate the flat since we had to shift here. But she did not pay any attention to our messages, and kept delaying it," Ms Gupta told NDTV on Thursday, breaking down in tears.
"We sent a reminder in May but she asked us to come, saying she will get us a different house on rent," she further said.
The tenant is a 35-year-old woman. Ms Gupta said she stopped responding to their messages and calls after some time.
Mr Kumar was working for Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) in Mumbai and got retired in March this year. They stayed at a relative's place after coming to Greater Noida, hoping that the woman would vacate the flat.
Mr Kumar said that the rent agreement was proper. "It expired on June 10 this year and we duly followed all the procedures, notifying the tenant two months ago on April 19. She replied to my message saying 'okay' and we shifted along with all our belongings on her assurance," he said.
"My wife met the tenant on July 19 and she once again assured us that she will vacate the flat. But two hours later, I got a message from her saying 'I will not allow you to enter my home'," he added.
"She kept saying 'I am the owner of this house'. And this hurt me the most," said Ms Gupta, adding that she fears her tenant has made some forged papers to claim the ownership of this house.
The elderly couple approached the police, and cops visited the house asking the tenant to come to the police station. But she hasn't gone there till now. "I now plan to meet the police commissioner. But police are saying this is a civil matter. I don't know how long it will take to resolve the issue, and for how long can I sit here on stairs with all my stuff?" said Mr Kumar.
The couple says it is running from pillar to post but nobody is offering any solution. "They are simply asking us to fight it in court, but that will take a really long time," said Ms Gupta repeatedly choking up.
The tenant was not available for comment. The couple told NDTV that she had promised to vacate the house by Thursday after they approached the police but has been missing since morning.
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