Apartment Society Maintenance Issues NRIs Face in Hyderabad and How to Solve Them

Owning an apartment in a Hyderabad society while living abroad creates a unique set of challenges that local owners rarely face. Society management committees make decisions that directly affect your property's value and livability — but as an NRI, you often learn about these decisions after they have been implemented. From arbitrary maintenance hikes to parking allocation disputes, NRI apartment owners in Hyderabad face issues that require both awareness and proactive management.

Escalating Maintenance Charges Without Proper Approval

One of the most common complaints from NRI apartment owners is sudden and significant increases in monthly maintenance charges. Under the Telangana Apartment Ownership Act, any change in maintenance fees must be approved by a resolution passed in a General Body Meeting (GBM) with the required quorum. However, many Hyderabad societies bypass this requirement — the managing committee unilaterally increases charges and presents it as a fait accompli to owners.

NRI owners are particularly vulnerable because they cannot attend GBMs in person and are often not informed about meetings in advance. Some societies deliberately schedule meetings with short notice, knowing that NRI owners cannot arrange to attend or send representatives. The solution is to ensure you have a local authorised representative — either through a Power of Attorney or through a property management company — who can attend GBMs on your behalf, vote on resolutions, and challenge any procedural irregularities.

Sinking Fund Misuse and Corpus Fund Transparency

Apartment societies in Hyderabad are required to maintain a sinking fund for major repairs and replacements — elevators, waterproofing, structural repairs, and similar large expenditures. NRI owners contribute to this fund through their monthly maintenance but rarely have visibility into how the fund is managed or spent.

Cases of sinking fund misuse are not uncommon. Committee members may use sinking fund money for routine maintenance (which should come from regular maintenance charges), invest it in inappropriate instruments, or in the worst cases, misappropriate it entirely. As an NRI owner, you should request annual audited accounts of the society, specifically including sinking fund and corpus fund statements. If the society refuses to provide audited accounts, it is a serious red flag.

Parking Allocation Disputes

Parking disputes are among the most contentious issues in Hyderabad apartment societies. The Telangana Apartment Ownership Act specifies that parking spaces cannot be sold separately from apartments — they are common areas to be allocated by the society. However, many builders allocate specific parking spots during sale, and subsequent reallocation by the society leads to bitter disputes.

NRI owners often find that their allocated parking spot has been reassigned to another resident or converted to visitor parking while they were away. Since the NRI is not physically present to use the spot, the society treats it as available for reallocation. To prevent this, ensure your parking allocation is documented in your sale agreement and registered with the society. If you have a tenant, ensure the tenant is using the designated parking spot, which maintains your claim to it.

Tenant Restrictions and Rental Approval Issues

Some Hyderabad societies impose restrictions on renting that can affect NRI owners disproportionately. These include requiring society approval before a tenant can move in, charging tenants a higher maintenance fee than owner-occupants, restricting the type of tenants (no bachelor tenants, no commercial use, no short-term rentals), and imposing security deposits from tenants payable to the society.

While some of these restrictions are reasonable and legally enforceable if included in the society bylaws, others are arbitrary and may violate the owner's right to use their property. NRI owners should review the society bylaws before purchasing and understand what restrictions apply to rental use. Probity's tenant placement service includes verification of society rules before listing the property, ensuring that tenants who are placed meet all society requirements and the approval process is handled smoothly.

How to Stay Informed and Protected as an NRI Owner

The single most important step is having a reliable local presence — someone who can attend meetings, review notices, inspect common areas, and escalate issues before they become serious. This can be a trusted relative, friend, or professional property management company.

Request that all society communications be sent to your email and WhatsApp in addition to physical notices posted at the society. Many progressive Hyderabad societies now use WhatsApp groups and society management apps like MyGate or NoBrokerHood — ensure you are added to all digital channels.

File your contact details (email, international phone number) with the society office and request that you be notified of all GBMs at least 21 days in advance, as required by law. If you cannot attend, send a written proxy authorization to a trusted person who can vote on your behalf.

Probity's Role in Society Management for NRIs

Probity acts as the NRI owner's eyes, ears, and voice in the apartment society. We attend General Body Meetings as your authorised representative, review and challenge any irregular resolutions, monitor maintenance charges and sinking fund usage, ensure your parking and common area rights are protected, and handle all society-related paperwork including NOCs for tenant changes and rental approvals.

Our monthly property management reports include a dedicated section on society matters — any notices received, meetings held, decisions taken, and maintenance charges billed. This gives NRI owners complete visibility into what is happening in their apartment society without having to chase information from multiple sources.

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