Renting homes is common in metros and large cities. Among people who move to these cities for work and prefer mobility over being tied to one location, renting household items—including furniture and appliances—is also becoming increasingly common.
While renting out furniture and appliances is not new, the trend has picked up pace after the pandemic and amid continued economic uncertainty.
Many people are realising that benefits such as significantly lower upfront costs, reduced maintenance hassles, and flexibility when moving often outweigh the appeal of ownership. Renting can also enable what many call an “aspirational lifestyle”, allowing access to high-quality setups without the burden of long-term ownership.
However, while convenience matters, it is equally important to get the math right when deciding whether to rent or buy. Read on as we break down the key questions to ask before making that choice.
When renting works
The ultimate convenience when planning a short stay is renting a fully furnished home. However, these options can sometimes be expensive or not customized to individual preferences.
In such cases, renting furniture and appliances separately can make sense—not just for convenience and customization, but financially too. The model also works well when people plan a longer stay but share living spaces with flatmates.
Sample this: a premium queen-sized bed with storage rents for around ₹1,549 a month on Furlenco. The platform also offers an option to buy it for ₹32,500, which is roughly equivalent to 21 months of rent. On platforms such as OLX, similar beds are listed for about ₹15,000.
Mumbai-based Sanchari, a 26-year-old advertising professional, spends ₹5,800 every month on personal furniture and appliances and ₹1,200 for common furniture in the house she shares with another person. She has been doing this for around two years.
She has rented a bed, two cupboards, a mattress, a sofa, a recliner, an AC, and common furniture for the hall.
“At this point, I have paid more than the cost of the AC as rent,” she agreed, but her decision isn’t driven by hard math alone—convenience is what moves the needle.
For her, renting is easier when moving and offers the flexibility to end the subscription whenever she wants.
Ashish, a 34-year-old Bengaluru-based HR professional, said he rented a bed and sofa because reselling furniture can be difficult when moving.
“I am looking at it like an experience and may choose to buy in some time,” he said.
Another Mumbai-based 46-year-old professional, who did not wish to be identified, recently moved from a fully furnished house to a rented apartment closer to his workplace and rented furniture and appliances for the new home.
He said the furniture matched the décor of the apartment and he was unsure how long he would stay at the job.
“I have paid six months’ rent in advance for a bed, AC, sofa, four chairs, fridge, and a washing machine because RentoMojo offers a discount on the same,” he said.
Renting over longer tenures often works best in shared accommodation, where it solves not just the cost issue but also the question of ownership if living arrangements change.
Haripriya, a Bengaluru-based marketing professional, and her flatmate have rented a washing machine and television for which she pays just ₹650 per month as her share.
Fine-print traps
In terms of offerings, the market now has a wide bouquet of rental platforms.
For instance, Furlenco has waived the security deposit, which is typically equivalent to one month’s rent.
, on the other hand, does not have a lock-in period, meaning customers can return or stop the subscription whenever they want.
With , the lock-in period is three months, and cancelling or returning items before this period ends requires paying three months’ rent regardless. Rentomojo also charges higher rental prices for shorter tenures such as three or six months compared with rentals exceeding 12 months.
Nitesh Mohandas, chief business officer, Furlenco said, “Our philosophy is that a small deposit of one month’s rent doesn’t really cover the value of the furniture a customer takes. So it ends up becoming unnecessary friction in the customer journey.”
While the company also offers customers the option to buy furniture, 97% of its business is renting.
Instead, the company relies on post-acquisition KYC checks and verification processes to ensure it is onboarding responsible customers.
He said another way to manage product damage is by manufacturing high-quality furniture designed to last at least 10 years, despite multiple usage cycles.
“There will always be a small minority—sub 1% of customers—who may willfully damage furniture. In such cases we do have a charging mechanism to recover costs, but these instances are relatively rare,” he added.
Hidden expenses
Consumers should also be aware of additional charges across platforms. These may include hefty early termination fees, non-refundable upfront service fees disguised as deposits, mandatory insurance charges and potential damage charges when returning products.
An 18% GST is also applied to every rental payment, adding another layer of cost.
Ending a subscription before the agreed term often results in no refund of security deposits or the remaining rental period, while some apps may automatically add monthly protection charges.
Transport is frequently marketed as free, but companies may still charge delivery and pickup fees, which can be substantial—especially for short-term rentals.
According to Mohandas, Furlenco’s average rental tenure is 16-18 months, although some customers stay much longer.
“We have many customers who have been renting from us for five to six years. That kind of relationship is built only on trust,” he said, adding that the company keeps pricing transparent with no hidden costs.
The real math
Financial experts say renting can be convenient but should ideally be used for shorter durations or essential items.
Ayesha Fahim, managing partner of Sansha Financial Services, said that if the total rent paid over time exceeds the purchase price, the renter is effectively paying a premium for temporary access rather than ownership.
However, whether that trade-off is worthwhile depends on multiple factors.
Buying furniture involves not just the purchase cost but also transportation, assembly, resale or disposal costs, which can reduce the apparent savings of ownership—especially for people who move frequently.
“Even if renting costs more over time, the immediate affordability may make it the only realistic option,” she said.
She added that renting any durable item for more than a year often ends up costing more than its original price.
Her advice: if users plan to stay in the same city for a longer period and finances allow, it is generally better to buy furniture upfront rather than rent it.
“Places like IKEA even give you a 6-months no cost EMI option on buying furniture,” she said.
The math may favour buying over longer durations—but convenience has its own price.
Renting offers flexibility and lower upfront costs, but users should carefully account for hidden charges and long tenures before deciding which option truly makes financial sense.