For many young professionals, finding a rented flat in Delhi is already known to be stressful. But for a 27-year-old entrepreneur, the process has become the toughest part of her journey so far. Naimisha, founder of Youthocracy, recently shared her experience on X, explaining how securing a place to live feels more difficult than running her company.
She began her post by writing, “The toughest thing I have faced as a woman founder in Delhi is not raising funds or managing a team. It is finding a place to live.” The statement struck a chord with many working professionals who say they face similar hurdles in big cities.
According to her, managing employees, pitching to investors and building a business from scratch has been manageable compared to the uncertainty and stress of house hunting. She pointed out that some rental agreements include clauses allowing landlords to enter the flat at any time. She also alleged that rents are sometimes increased without prior notice. “Rent is being raised without any notice. And the moment I tell them I am a startup founder, then follows the suspicion over character look,” she wrote.
She added that unannounced visits cross a line. “I am 27 years old. A landlord walking into my home unannounced is not just inconvenient- it is a violation of my fundamental rights, and as a woman living alone, it makes me feel unsafe.”
Calling the process draining, she further wrote, “I am once again in the middle of house hunting in Delhi, and it is exhausting to be fighting this battle on top of everything else that comes with building a company from the ground up.”
In a candid appeal, she asked users for help with leads. “If you know of any leads– landlords who are professional, respectful, and genuinely open to working women and founders as tenants and won't ask me to sell a kidney to fund the rents– please drop them in the comments or reach out to me directly. It would mean more than I can express.”
She began her post by writing, “The toughest thing I have faced as a woman founder in Delhi is not raising funds or managing a team. It is finding a place to live.” The statement struck a chord with many working professionals who say they face similar hurdles in big cities.
According to her, managing employees, pitching to investors and building a business from scratch has been manageable compared to the uncertainty and stress of house hunting. She pointed out that some rental agreements include clauses allowing landlords to enter the flat at any time. She also alleged that rents are sometimes increased without prior notice. “Rent is being raised without any notice. And the moment I tell them I am a startup founder, then follows the suspicion over character look,” she wrote.
Safety And Privacy Concerns
Beyond rising rents, she highlighted concerns around privacy and personal safety. In her post, she described how certain landlords expect tenants to follow their schedules and lifestyle expectations. “They expect you to be home at all times, on their schedule, fitting into their idea of what a good tenant looks like,” she stated.She added that unannounced visits cross a line. “I am 27 years old. A landlord walking into my home unannounced is not just inconvenient- it is a violation of my fundamental rights, and as a woman living alone, it makes me feel unsafe.”
Calling the process draining, she further wrote, “I am once again in the middle of house hunting in Delhi, and it is exhausting to be fighting this battle on top of everything else that comes with building a company from the ground up.”
In a candid appeal, she asked users for help with leads. “If you know of any leads– landlords who are professional, respectful, and genuinely open to working women and founders as tenants and won't ask me to sell a kidney to fund the rents– please drop them in the comments or reach out to me directly. It would mean more than I can express.”