Guides
What to do when it happens to you
Plain-language guides for the moment a cheque bounces, a landlord keeps the deposit, a refund is refused, PF is stuck or a marriage ends — each one ending in the document or the advocate that fixes it. Kept current, in your language.
This week's guide · Cheque bounceCheque bounced? What to do in the first 7 daysYour cheque came back unpaid. The 30-day notice deadline, what the bank's return memo must say, how to send the notice so it holds up in court, and what happens after the 15 days.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 7 min readStart here — the moment guides
Rent & propertyBuilder late with possession, or won't refund your moneyThe flat is years late, or you cancelled and the builder is sitting on your money. What RERA lets you demand, how to choose refund or delay interest, and the steps to take now.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 8 min read
Divorce & familyCustody of a child after separation: what to do firstYou and your child's other parent have separated. Who has custody until a court decides, what courts look at, how to agree a parenting plan, and when to go to court.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 7 min read
Divorce & familyFacing violence at home? Safety, help and your first stepsIf you are being abused at home: how to get safe, who must help you, how to keep a record, and the routes the law gives you, from a protection order to a police complaint.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min read
PF & jobsFired unfairly, salary or gratuity unpaid: what to do firstDismissed without notice, or your last salary, notice pay or gratuity is held back? Which law protects you, the deadlines that matter, and the first steps to take this week.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min read
Cheque bounceGot a cheque-bounce notice — how to reply, and what happens if you don'tYou received a Section 138 notice for a cheque you gave. What the 15 days mean, when to pay, how to reply if you dispute it, and what happens if a complaint is filed against you.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 8 min read
Refunds & consumerInsurance claim rejected: health, motor, life — what to do nextYour insurer turned down your claim, or paid far less than the policy covers. How to read the rejection, the complaint to the insurer, the ombudsman, and the Consumer Commission within two years.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 8 min read
Rent & propertyLandlord cut the power or water, or is harassing you: what to doYour landlord has cut the electricity or water, locked you out or is threatening you to make you leave. What the law says, the evidence to keep, and how to get the supply back.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 10 min read
Divorce & familyMaintenance for yourself or a child: who can claim, how muchYour spouse or parent has stopped supporting you or your child. Who can claim maintenance in India, how courts decide the amount, what to do first, and which route to choose.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min read
RTI & policeNo RTI reply in 30 days: the first appealYour RTI application got no reply in 30 days, or a reply that dodged the questions. How to count the days, who hears the first appeal, the 30-day limit, and what comes after.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 8 min read
RTI & policePolice won't register your complaintThe station refused to file your FIR, or sent you away. What the law says the police must do, how to write to the Superintendent of Police, and how to ask the magistrate to order an investigation.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 8 min read
AccidentsRoad accident: claiming compensation (MACT)Someone in your family was hurt or killed in a road accident. Treatment first, the FIR, the papers to collect now, and the routes to compensation, before the six months run out.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min read
Divorce & familySpouse won't agree to a divorce? Contested divorce explainedYour spouse will not agree to end the marriage. What you can do first, the grounds you will need to prove, money and children while the case runs, and which route fits you.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min read
Rent & propertyTenant not paying rent, or won't leave? What a landlord can doFor landlords: your tenant has stopped paying or will not vacate. The written demand, the notice that ends the tenancy, the court case if they stay, and the shortcuts that backfire.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min readCheque bounceCheque bounced? What to do in the first 7 daysYour cheque came back unpaid. The 30-day notice deadline, what the bank's return memo must say, how to send the notice so it holds up in court, and what happens after the 15 days.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 7 min read
Refunds & consumerFaulty product or bad service: how to make them fix it or payA product that broke, a repair that failed, a service you paid for and never got. What the Consumer Protection Act lets you demand, the notice that comes first, and the two-year limit.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 7 min read
RTI & policeGetting information from a government office: RTIA file stuck, a decision you were never told about, money you want accounted for. How to ask any government office for its records under the RTI Act, and what to do if it does not answer.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 8 min read
Rent & propertyLandlord won't return the deposit: the three steps that workYou moved out and the security deposit has not come back. How to ask for it in writing, when a legal notice helps, and how a civil suit recovers it if nothing else does.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 8 min read
Rent & propertyMaking a rent agreement: what to put in it, and why you never needed a notaryWhat an 11-month rent agreement must say, why it is 11 months, the stamp duty it needs, who signs, and why a notary adds nothing the law asks for. Maharashtra is different.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 10 min read
Wills & successionMaking a will: two witnesses, no registrationWho can make a will, how to sign it in front of two witnesses so it holds up, why registration is optional, who should not be a witness, and how to change it later.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 9 min read
Affidavits & everyday papersNeed an affidavit, NOC or undertaking todayAn office wants an affidavit, a no objection certificate or an undertaking from you. Which one you need, what it must say, how stamp and e-sign work, and when a notary is still needed.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 9 min read
Refunds & consumerOnline order not refunded: Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, airlines, gymsYou returned the order, cancelled the booking or quit the membership, and the money never came back. What the Consumer Protection Act says, who to write to, and the deadline.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 7 min read
PF & jobsPF stuck, rejected or not deposited: the EPFiGMS routePF cut from your salary but missing from the passbook, or a withdrawal or transfer stuck or rejected. How to check, what to write, and how to lodge a grievance on EPFiGMS.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 8 min read
Wills & successionSomeone died: succession certificate and legal-heir certificateAfter a death in the family: which certificate the bank, employer or company is asking for, how a succession certificate and a legal-heir certificate differ, and the steps for each.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 8 min read
Divorce & familyWe both want a divorce: mutual consent, step by stepYou both agree to end the marriage. Who can use mutual consent divorce, the one-year separation rule, the two motions, the six-month wait, and what to settle before you file.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 9 min read
Rent & propertyBuilder late with possession, or won't refund your moneyThe flat is years late, or you cancelled and the builder is sitting on your money. What RERA lets you demand, how to choose refund or delay interest, and the steps to take now.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 8 min readDivorce & familyCustody of a child after separation: what to do firstYou and your child's other parent have separated. Who has custody until a court decides, what courts look at, how to agree a parenting plan, and when to go to court.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 7 min readDivorce & familyFacing violence at home? Safety, help and your first stepsIf you are being abused at home: how to get safe, who must help you, how to keep a record, and the routes the law gives you, from a protection order to a police complaint.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min readPF & jobsFired unfairly, salary or gratuity unpaid: what to do firstDismissed without notice, or your last salary, notice pay or gratuity is held back? Which law protects you, the deadlines that matter, and the first steps to take this week.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min readCheque bounceGot a cheque-bounce notice — how to reply, and what happens if you don'tYou received a Section 138 notice for a cheque you gave. What the 15 days mean, when to pay, how to reply if you dispute it, and what happens if a complaint is filed against you.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 8 min readRefunds & consumerInsurance claim rejected: health, motor, life — what to do nextYour insurer turned down your claim, or paid far less than the policy covers. How to read the rejection, the complaint to the insurer, the ombudsman, and the Consumer Commission within two years.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 8 min readRent & propertyLandlord cut the power or water, or is harassing you: what to doYour landlord has cut the electricity or water, locked you out or is threatening you to make you leave. What the law says, the evidence to keep, and how to get the supply back.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 10 min readDivorce & familyMaintenance for yourself or a child: who can claim, how muchYour spouse or parent has stopped supporting you or your child. Who can claim maintenance in India, how courts decide the amount, what to do first, and which route to choose.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min readRTI & policeNo RTI reply in 30 days: the first appealYour RTI application got no reply in 30 days, or a reply that dodged the questions. How to count the days, who hears the first appeal, the 30-day limit, and what comes after.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 8 min readRTI & policePolice won't register your complaintThe station refused to file your FIR, or sent you away. What the law says the police must do, how to write to the Superintendent of Police, and how to ask the magistrate to order an investigation.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 8 min readAccidentsRoad accident: claiming compensation (MACT)Someone in your family was hurt or killed in a road accident. Treatment first, the FIR, the papers to collect now, and the routes to compensation, before the six months run out.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min readDivorce & familySpouse won't agree to a divorce? Contested divorce explainedYour spouse will not agree to end the marriage. What you can do first, the grounds you will need to prove, money and children while the case runs, and which route fits you.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min readRent & propertyTenant not paying rent, or won't leave? What a landlord can doFor landlords: your tenant has stopped paying or will not vacate. The written demand, the notice that ends the tenancy, the court case if they stay, and the shortcuts that backfire.Updated 27 Oct 2026 · 9 min readCheque bounceCheque bounced? What to do in the first 7 daysYour cheque came back unpaid. The 30-day notice deadline, what the bank's return memo must say, how to send the notice so it holds up in court, and what happens after the 15 days.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 7 min readRefunds & consumerFaulty product or bad service: how to make them fix it or payA product that broke, a repair that failed, a service you paid for and never got. What the Consumer Protection Act lets you demand, the notice that comes first, and the two-year limit.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 7 min readRTI & policeGetting information from a government office: RTIA file stuck, a decision you were never told about, money you want accounted for. How to ask any government office for its records under the RTI Act, and what to do if it does not answer.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 8 min readRent & propertyLandlord won't return the deposit: the three steps that workYou moved out and the security deposit has not come back. How to ask for it in writing, when a legal notice helps, and how a civil suit recovers it if nothing else does.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 8 min readRent & propertyMaking a rent agreement: what to put in it, and why you never needed a notaryWhat an 11-month rent agreement must say, why it is 11 months, the stamp duty it needs, who signs, and why a notary adds nothing the law asks for. Maharashtra is different.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 10 min readWills & successionMaking a will: two witnesses, no registrationWho can make a will, how to sign it in front of two witnesses so it holds up, why registration is optional, who should not be a witness, and how to change it later.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 9 min readAffidavits & everyday papersNeed an affidavit, NOC or undertaking todayAn office wants an affidavit, a no objection certificate or an undertaking from you. Which one you need, what it must say, how stamp and e-sign work, and when a notary is still needed.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 9 min readRefunds & consumerOnline order not refunded: Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, airlines, gymsYou returned the order, cancelled the booking or quit the membership, and the money never came back. What the Consumer Protection Act says, who to write to, and the deadline.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 7 min readPF & jobsPF stuck, rejected or not deposited: the EPFiGMS routePF cut from your salary but missing from the passbook, or a withdrawal or transfer stuck or rejected. How to check, what to write, and how to lodge a grievance on EPFiGMS.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 8 min readWills & successionSomeone died: succession certificate and legal-heir certificateAfter a death in the family: which certificate the bank, employer or company is asking for, how a succession certificate and a legal-heir certificate differ, and the steps for each.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 8 min readDivorce & familyWe both want a divorce: mutual consent, step by stepYou both agree to end the marriage. Who can use mutual consent divorce, the one-year separation rule, the two motions, the six-month wait, and what to settle before you file.Updated 26 Oct 2026 · 9 min readFormats and how to write themFormat · Refunds & consumerE-commerce refund notice: format and the grievance officerA sample refund notice to an online platform's grievance officer, what each part must say, the 30-day rule in the Consumer Protection Act, and what to do if the refund still does not come.7 min readFormat · Divorce & familyMutual consent divorce joint petition: format, affidavits, two motionsThe parts of a joint petition for divorce by mutual consent, a sample outline, the statements the law requires, the two affidavits, and what is filed at the first and second motions.7 min readFormat · PF & jobsPF complaint: EPFiGMS fields explained, format of the covering complaintWhat the EPFO grievance portal asks you for, in plain words, and a sample covering complaint for PF cut from salary but not deposited, or a claim or transfer that is stuck.7 min readFormat · RTI & policePolice complaint to the SHO: format, the BNS sections, what to attachHow to write a police complaint to the SHO, with a sample: the facts in order, the BNS offences they disclose, what to attach, and how to get it acknowledged at the station.6 min readFormat · Cheque bounceReply to a cheque-bounce notice: format and the defences that workThe format of a reply to a Section 138 cheque-bounce notice, with a sample: what to say, the defences the law allows, the ones it does not, and how to send it within the 15 days.6 min readFormat · RTI & policeRTI first appeal: format and groundsA sample RTI first appeal you can follow line by line: who it goes to, the grounds that work, what to ask for, what to attach, and the 30-day limit for filing it.7 min read
Format · Affidavits & everyday papersUndertaking: format and what makes it bindingWhat an undertaking must say, a sample you can follow, when the Contract Act makes the promise enforceable, how a stated penalty is treated, and when it needs stamp paper or a notary.8 min read
Format · Cheque bounceCheque-bounce demand notice: format, what it must say, how to send itThe format of a Section 138 cheque-bounce notice, with a sample: the facts it must state, the 15-day demand, who it goes to, and how to send it so it stands up in court.8 min readFormat · Refunds & consumerConsumer legal notice: format under the Consumer Protection ActWhat a consumer legal notice must say, a sample you can follow, how to send it so it counts, and what happens if the company ignores it.7 min readFormat · Affidavits & everyday papersGeneral affidavit: format, wording, when it needs a notaryThe parts every general affidavit needs, a sample you can follow, the verification wording, the stamp, and when it must be sworn before a notary or oath commissioner.6 min read
Format · Affidavits & everyday papersNo objection certificate: formats for society, employer, bank, RTO, spouseWhat a no objection certificate must say, short sample NOCs for a housing society, an employer, a bank and a spouse, and how the RTO and bank NOCs for a vehicle actually work.6 min readFormat · Rent & propertyRent agreement (11 months): clause by clauseEvery clause of an 11-month rent agreement, what it does and why it is there, with a sample you can read before you make your own. Includes the clauses people forget.7 min readFormat · RTI & policeRTI application: format, the fee, where to send itA sample RTI application you can follow line by line, what each part must say, how the fee works, and where and how to send it so the 30-day clock starts.7 min readFormat · Wills & successionWill: format, the two-witness rule, what makes it invalidA sample will with every clause explained, how to sign it before two witnesses under Section 63, and the mistakes that make a will, or a gift in it, fail.6 min read
Format · Refunds & consumerE-commerce refund notice: format and the grievance officerA sample refund notice to an online platform's grievance officer, what each part must say, the 30-day rule in the Consumer Protection Act, and what to do if the refund still does not come.7 min readFormat · Divorce & familyMutual consent divorce joint petition: format, affidavits, two motionsThe parts of a joint petition for divorce by mutual consent, a sample outline, the statements the law requires, the two affidavits, and what is filed at the first and second motions.7 min readFormat · PF & jobsPF complaint: EPFiGMS fields explained, format of the covering complaintWhat the EPFO grievance portal asks you for, in plain words, and a sample covering complaint for PF cut from salary but not deposited, or a claim or transfer that is stuck.7 min readFormat · RTI & policePolice complaint to the SHO: format, the BNS sections, what to attachHow to write a police complaint to the SHO, with a sample: the facts in order, the BNS offences they disclose, what to attach, and how to get it acknowledged at the station.6 min readFormat · Cheque bounceReply to a cheque-bounce notice: format and the defences that workThe format of a reply to a Section 138 cheque-bounce notice, with a sample: what to say, the defences the law allows, the ones it does not, and how to send it within the 15 days.6 min readFormat · RTI & policeRTI first appeal: format and groundsA sample RTI first appeal you can follow line by line: who it goes to, the grounds that work, what to ask for, what to attach, and the 30-day limit for filing it.7 min readFormat · Affidavits & everyday papersUndertaking: format and what makes it bindingWhat an undertaking must say, a sample you can follow, when the Contract Act makes the promise enforceable, how a stated penalty is treated, and when it needs stamp paper or a notary.8 min readFormat · Cheque bounceCheque-bounce demand notice: format, what it must say, how to send itThe format of a Section 138 cheque-bounce notice, with a sample: the facts it must state, the 15-day demand, who it goes to, and how to send it so it stands up in court.8 min readFormat · Refunds & consumerConsumer legal notice: format under the Consumer Protection ActWhat a consumer legal notice must say, a sample you can follow, how to send it so it counts, and what happens if the company ignores it.7 min readFormat · Affidavits & everyday papersGeneral affidavit: format, wording, when it needs a notaryThe parts every general affidavit needs, a sample you can follow, the verification wording, the stamp, and when it must be sworn before a notary or oath commissioner.6 min readFormat · Affidavits & everyday papersNo objection certificate: formats for society, employer, bank, RTO, spouseWhat a no objection certificate must say, short sample NOCs for a housing society, an employer, a bank and a spouse, and how the RTO and bank NOCs for a vehicle actually work.6 min readFormat · Rent & propertyRent agreement (11 months): clause by clauseEvery clause of an 11-month rent agreement, what it does and why it is there, with a sample you can read before you make your own. Includes the clauses people forget.7 min readFormat · RTI & policeRTI application: format, the fee, where to send itA sample RTI application you can follow line by line, what each part must say, how the fee works, and where and how to send it so the 30-day clock starts.7 min readFormat · Wills & successionWill: format, the two-witness rule, what makes it invalidA sample will with every clause explained, how to sign it before two witnesses under Section 63, and the mistakes that make a will, or a gift in it, fail.6 min readGuides are written by eMunshi's editors and reviewed by a panel advocate before they are published; they are updated when the law changes. Illustrations are eMunshi's own. Not legal advice.