Managing property as an NRI? Here is the 101 guidline to protect your assets

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Owning a home in India while living thousands of kilometres away can look simple on paper. In reality, distance often turns routine tenancy into a source of anxiety. From unpaid rent and damaged interiors to legal hurdles and misuse of powers of attorney, many non-resident Indians learn the hard way that property requires active supervision, even when it is meant to be a passive investment.Being aware of the requirements is important to ensure investments, bank accounts and property remain safe and continue to deliver value. Here is a simple guide to the main points NRIs should keep in mind while handling what they own back home.

Looking after your Indian assets from overseas

Appointing an agent or caretaker: Moving from informal help to an on-ground caretaker or professional manager can be a big help for someone who lives abroad. They agents can easily handle verification, paperwork, complaints and furnishing and prevent anything that might lead to illegal occupation. Though there is a fee involved, it helps the owners to have a peace of mind.
Background check: Use verified tenant onboarding that includes police checks, proper documentation and recorded handovers of keys, furniture and fittings. Having unverified tenants can be risky or even lethal in many cases.
Strong legal agreements: ut in place a strong rental agreement that clearly bars subletting, commercial activity and unauthorised changes, while defining rent timelines, escalation, inspection rights and exit conditions.
Staying connected remotely: In many cases, tenants take advantage of the landlord’s absence by neglecting necessary repairs and failing to maintain the property properly. To prevent this, stay connected and ensure regular monitoring through scheduled inspections, maintain photographic records of the property’s condition, and use digital tracking to keep tabs on rent collection, lease renewals, and ongoing maintenance activities.
Repair and maintaining: Centralise repairs and upkeep through one accountable channel rather than scattered local vendors.
Limit any Power of Attorney: Reserve the Power of Attorney to specific tasks, register it where necessary and review it periodically to prevent misuse.
Hiring a rental platform: If managing tenants from abroad feels too risky or cumbersome, consider property formats such as plots where routine tenant disputes do not arise.