keep this in mind when using NoBroker

Hello all, I've relied heavily on Reddit for any important spend - so thought it was only fair I drop my recent (pathetic) experience with them from a tenant point of view. Before I am accused of pinching pennies and using NB instead of traditional brokers, please know that is my first time using NB. I've always used a traditional broker before this, but I was tired of their spamming and posting fake listing as clickbait. **TLDR** : NB isn't broker-free anymore, it is simply a property manager for NRI owners. You may pay much lesser than a month's brokerage but you will deal with headache / unhinged behavior from them. My tips with dealing with them are at the bottom if you want to skip all this. So, I purchased the 40 day plan from NB that let's me contact 25-something 'owners' directly. Once I pay, I realize that I have a NB employee number and not the owners. The NB rep has no idea about the property i am interested in and throughout my enquiry period I am asked to contact a 'property manager' or a 'relationship manager' for different things. Once I decided to finalize the flat, my case is handed over to a 'designated RM' - Prakash\*. Prakash knows nothing, except he wants me to pay the token amount ASAP. I ask to speak to the landlord before finalizing and he says he can't do that - because it is not allowed in NB. After I refuse to proceed further, NB puts me on a conference call with the landlord, refusing to share any contact detail. During the call the landlord offers his phone number, but NB rep shuts it down because "it's against the rules". I pay the token and, *tale as old as time,* I am ghosted. The worst part is that they don't even give you the direct number of the designated RM. Your call is routed to a call center who then connects you to your RM. 9/10 times the RM was busy, or on holiday, or had left office. 2 weeks later, I get a call from new RM#8, claiming to be my RM from now on. RM#8 has no idea about anything and asks me for the wing, flat number, and all the background so far. He has no idea about status of repairs, I've no lease agreement even till one day before the promised move in date. Despite their complete incompetency, I am not allowed to reach out to the landlord because NB is supposed to be the go-to for all my needs :) So, before you opt-for paid NoBroker as tenant : 1. Don't bother with the paid plans, just 'like' the property of your choice. 9/10 times the desperate property manager will reach out. 2. Clarify from the get-go if you'll be talking to the landlord or the NB employee. Insist on getting the landlord contact before you proceed. I am not against using property managers, but NB reps are very incompetent. Property management is their cash cow now, so as a tenant you will get the short end of the stick and it will feel like *NB vs. you*. 3. Keep written records/ emails of everything. What is emailed vs. what is phoned in is very different. Drop a summary of the phone call on emails. 4. Once you enter the lease, they will make you use NB services for everything from agreement drafting to repair services. Clarify this before hand. If you're a landlord who's using NB services - stay vigilant. NB isn't the landlord saviour it pretends to be. My landlord is an unsuspecting middle-aged NRI who has no idea how terribly his property is being managed and the random 'inspection and installation charges' he's been made to pay even after we told NB we didn't want any of these repairs/installations.