What is a rental authority under the Model Tenancy Act?

A Rental Authority under the Model Tenancy Act 2021 is a designated government officer appointed at the district level to receive tenancy agreements, resolve rental disputes between landlords and tenants, and maintain records of all tenancies in the district.

Functions of the Rental Authority

• Receiving and maintaining records of all submitted tenancy agreements.
• Adjudicating disputes between landlords and tenants.
• Passing orders for eviction, rent revision, or deposit refund.
• Determining the standard rent in cases of dispute.

Escalation Hierarchy

• Rental Authority (first level) — handles most disputes.
• Rent Court (second level) — handles appeals against Rental Authority orders.
• Rent Tribunal (third level) — final appellate authority before High Court.

The Rental Authority mechanism is designed to eliminate the need for expensive and slow civil court litigation for most rental disputes. Fast-track adjudication targeted at 60 days for Rental Authority orders is a major improvement over the years-long resolution cycle that currently characterises rental disputes in India.