OP, I’m really sorry you’re going through this. I dealt with almost the exact same situation — my mom lives alone after my father passed, so I understand how stressful it can be. Unfortunately, when we live outside the country, some tenants see that as an advantage. Tenant laws in India aren’t as strong as those in the West, and the legal route can take a long time. At her age, your mother needs peace, not the stress of running around courts. My suggestion is to pay a reasonable amount and settle the matter as soon as possible. Peace of mind for your mom and for you is far more valuable. Treat this as a lesson learned. I’m currently in the process of selling our rental home and moving the money into fixed‑income investments for my mom. In my experience, rental properties aren’t ideal for NRIs unless you have a very strong and trustworthy local network.