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Kerala Rising Answer Book · Volume Two

52 answer-first guides to rights, deadlines, remedies, work, banking, property, family, and digital self-defence in Kerala.

Rules Your Bank Hopes You Never Read

  1. I missed an EMI. Can the bank raise my interest rate as a penalty?1
  2. Can I close my home or business loan early without paying a penalty?2
  3. I closed my loan. How quickly must the bank return my property documents?3
  4. My EMI went up because interest rates rose. What are my options?4
  5. The bank says I must buy its insurance policy to get the loan. Is that true?5
  6. Recovery agents are calling me at night and at work. What are my rights?6
  7. I repaid my gold loan. When must the bank return my gold?7
  8. My bank locker was robbed. Is the bank liable?8

Cards, UPI, Fraud and Getting Heard

  1. I asked to close my credit card weeks ago and it is still open. Can I do anything?9
  2. Money was stolen from my account through a fraud. Will the bank refund it?10
  3. My UPI or ATM transaction failed but the money left my account. What now?11
  4. The bank ignored my complaint. Who is above the bank?12
  5. How do I check my credit report for free, and what if it is wrong?13
  6. My old account went dormant. Can the bank charge me to revive it or penalise me for low balance?14

Cash, Land and the Tax Rules That Bite Ordinary Families

  1. Can I receive ₹2 lakh or more in cash? What happens if I do?15
  2. Can I pay cash for land? What is 'fair value' and why does it matter?16
  3. I am buying a flat from an NRI. Do I have to deduct tax?17
  4. I pay rent of ₹50,000 a month. Must I deduct tax?18
  5. I withdrew a lot of cash this year. Why did the bank deduct tax?19

Work: The Money Your Job Owes You, Here and in the Gulf

  1. Is there free life insurance attached to my EPF account?20
  2. I left my job years ago. Is my EPF still earning interest? Is it still mine?21
  3. Am I entitled to gratuity, and can my employer refuse it?22
  4. I worked twelve years in the Gulf. What end-of-service money am I owed?23
  5. Is there insurance for Gulf workers from the Indian government?24

Parents, Hospitals and the House

  1. My parents are over 70. Is there free hospital cover for them regardless of income?25
  2. After five years, can the insurer still reject my claim for non-disclosure? And how long can the hospital wait for cashless approval?26
  3. My parents gave the house to a son who no longer looks after them. Can they take it back?27
  4. Can my parents get a monthly income from their house without selling it?28
  5. A family member was hit by a vehicle that drove away. Is there any compensation?29

Deposits, Forgotten Shares and Fighting Back Without a Lawyer

  1. Is my deposit in a cooperative society insured like a bank deposit?30
  2. My father's old shares and dividends were 'transferred to IEPF'. Can we get them back?31
  3. I want to sue a company or a hospital without a lawyer. How does the consumer commission work?32
  4. Can I get a free lawyer in Kerala?33
  5. My scheme application has been pending for months. Can I force an answer?34

The Small Business Owner's Quiet Advantages

  1. A customer's cheque bounced. What exactly can I do, and how fast must I move?35
  2. I run a small shop. Do I really need to keep books of account for income tax?36
  3. What does Udyam registration get me besides a certificate?37
  4. Do I have to register for GST, and is there a simpler version for small traders?38
  5. I am a carpenter / tailor / goldsmith / mason. Is there a scheme for my trade specifically?39

Land, Succession and the Family House in Kerala

  1. My father died without a will. Who gets what, under Hindu, Christian and Muslim law in Kerala?40
  2. My land is listed as paddy or wetland in the data bank. Can I ever build on it?41
  3. I have built a house. What one-time and annual taxes does Kerala charge, and can I get a permit-free exemption?42
  4. We want to divide the family property among ourselves. Which deed, and what will it cost in stamp duty?43

Hospitals, Seniors and the Education Loan

  1. Can a hospital hold my mother's body, or refuse to discharge her, until the bill is paid? What are a patient's rights?44
  2. My father is 76 and lives on pension and bank interest. Does he still have to file a tax return?45
  3. My mother cannot get to the bank any more. Must the bank come to her?46
  4. A stranger was injured in an accident in front of me. Will I be harassed if I take them to hospital, and who pays?47
  5. The bank wants our house as security for my daughter's education loan. Is that legal, and is there interest relief?48

Digital Self-Defence for Ordinary Families

  1. Can someone misuse my Aadhaar? How do I lock it?49
  2. Are there SIM cards or bank accounts in my name that I do not know about?50
  3. Do I have to carry original documents? Is a DigiLocker copy legally valid?51
  4. A loan app gave me money in minutes and is now threatening my contacts. What is it allowed to do?52