Verbal Deal, Disputed Terms: How Santhanakrishnan Lost a Multi-Year Court Battle

What was the agreed rent? What was the deposit? How much notice was required? When a rental relationship exists only in memory and goodwill, none of these questions have a reliable answer in court. The case of Santhanakrishnan v. R. Venkataraman illustrates what happens when a landlord is forced to prove the basic terms of a verbal agreement to a judge.

It does not go well. It rarely does.

What Happened

The tenancy between Santhanakrishnan and Venkataraman was based on a verbal or insufficiently documented arrangement. When the landlord sought eviction, the absence of a registered written tenancy agreement made it impossible to establish the basic terms of the relationship in a manner acceptable to the Rent Court. The Madras High Court ultimately held that failure to enter into a registered tenancy agreement justified eviction — but the path to that finding required years of proceedings.

Why Proving Verbal Terms Is Nearly Impossible

In court, a tenant can claim any rent amount was agreed verbally. A landlord can claim a different notice period. Without a signed document, the court has to weigh competing testimony, look for bank transfer patterns, examine old receipts, and piece together a picture from unreliable fragments.

This process takes time. It takes money. And the party with the better paper trail — not necessarily the party who is right — tends to win. Verbal tenancy risks in Tamil Nadu hit hardest when landlords need to prove basic facts about their own property.

What a Written Agreement Changes

A signed, registered rental agreement in Tamil Nadu eliminates all disputes about the basic terms. The rent is in writing. The deposit is in writing. The notice period is in writing. If either party claims otherwise in court, the document is produced — and the dispute ends. This single document replaces years of litigation.

Related Cases

• 2025 Madras HC: No Written Tenancy Under Section 4(2) →
• Selvakumar vs. Rajeswari: When a Landlord Can't Prove Basic Rent Terms →
• Both Parties Failed to Sign — and the Tenant Paid the Price →