Many people who have lived in paying guest accommodations (PG), have fond memories of leading a carefree life. However, it is also equally possible that many others came across unpleasant roommates, or a nosy landlord or dirty rooms. Housing.com New got in touch with some paying guests to understand their experience, by asking them to share their memories and the unexpected things that they encountered.
Pragya Vaibhav
Post-graduate student at Christ University, Bangalore
What I loved about life in a PG: I did not have to cook and clean the room. Everything was taken care of by the PG and the charges towards Wi-Fi, TV, food and electricity, was included in the rent.
What I did not like about the PG: I absolutely disliked the curfew at 10 PM. We were not allowed to bring in friends and the food was almost inedible. To top it, there was unnecessary checking of every room to catch hold of smokers. Clothes were often stolen from the terrace, with zero accountability from the caretakers. The terrace was not accessible after 9 at night and before 7 in the morning. The washing machines were not cleaned or serviced properly either.
What I would suggest: If you are planning to stay in a PG, ask about the rules explicitly at the time of admission.
Jovita Joy
Audit professional at Deloitte, Gurgaon
What I loved about life in a PG: It is much more affordable than flats and most of the PGs come with the benefit of meals, thrice a day. Being a working woman who has to reach the office by 9 AM and come back as late as 10 or 12 PM, it was an added benefit for me, to get my meals ready all the time.
What I did not like about the PG: In case of a shared PG, there are so many people living under the same roof although in different rooms. At times, cleanliness becomes a point of concern. Another concern is the time restriction. I often have late night office parties or even busy work schedules where I have to work till 10 PM. There are times, when I also hang out with my friends. In such cases, the timings become an issue in PGs.
What I would suggest: PG owners should ensure proper hygiene check on a regular basis, keep changing the menu at least once a month and have a proper security system, rather than time restrictions.
Romila Mammen
Marketing professional at Chegg Inc., Delhi
What I loved about life in a PG: I think everyone should try living in a PG. There is so much to learn with roommates-turned-friends. It was the first time I was managing things on my own and I learnt what true discipline is – following a routine along with managing laundry, college, friends, bank work, etc.
What I did not like about the PG: The PG business is very lucrative in metro cities and as a result, many PG owners would lease the property at high prices, especially to women, because they know that women ask for additional security. There should be a cap on such pricing.
What I would suggest: Employ good staff. It helps the reputation of the PG. There have been cases where the maintenance staff have misbehaved with the residents and this should be strictly disallowed. PG owners are usually away when they should actually be watchful of such lapses.
See also: Benefits of staying in a PG accommodation
Anugya Chowdhary
Assurance Associate at Ernst & Young, Gurgaon
What I loved about life in a PG: I have lived in three PGs over four years. What I like about a PG is that you can give a month’s notice and vacate it. I did not have to worry about making food, cleaning, laundry or other household chores, which I would have to worry about in a flat.
What I did not like about the PG: During my undergraduate days, I lived in a PG where they served very bad food. It was not just the fact that there was no variety in food but it was unhygienic and the quality of food deteriorated from my first year to the last year, when finally we had stopped eating the food provided by the PG and got our own food from outside. In some PGs even non-veg food or ordering food post 10 PM was not allowed.
Moreover, the caretakers will always do things at their own pace. The warden or the caretaker has no authority and so they cannot do anything, unless the PG owner decides to make any changes. I distinctly remember waiting for a month, before the owner got the centralised water heater fixed. The PG owners make up their own rules, with respect to deadlines and electricity bill payments too. They may even charge way more than what you would have paid, had you been living in a flat. Most of the PGs in Gurgaon accommodate working professionals and students. At times, it is very difficult for both to adjust with each other. I have also been in a PG where there was a lights-off rule at 11 PM.
Jayendra Kishan Ramanathan
IT Professional, Melbourne
What I loved about life in a PG: I moved into a PG when I started my career and the best part, was getting to live and to interact with so many people that were my own age but from different parts of the country, speaking so many different languages. It was a great experience getting to know them, their culture, their work culture and the companies they were working with. The kind of independence in PGs also gives you a kind of optimism and positivity, because you get to manage your own life.
What I did not like about the PG: You tend to lose your personal space, especially if it is a congested room and you are sharing the accommodation. Another problem that crops up usually, is bad food, especially when you are used to good homemade food. You have to sacrifice on the taste and quality of the food and you may end up eating outside.
What I would suggest: Some PGs do not have good facilities such as washing machines or iron boxes. These are small things that affect the way people live in PGs. Also, there should be standardisation of rent and security deposit, from city to city.
Gigimol Joseph
Teacher, Patna
What I loved about life in a PG: It has to be the regular cleaning and sanitation at the PG I was living in.
What I did not like about the PG: The rooms were small and cramped. The food was horrible.
What I would suggest: The food being provided should be a little better and they should check the quantity of the food being made for every meal, so that every resident gets to eat properly, without the staff complaining of shortage.
Darshan Singh
UI/UX designer at SysMind LLC, Noida
What I loved about life in a PG: Living in a PG teaches one a lot of discipline and time management. You get to meet people with shared life goals. This, in turn, helps you in working towards a better future.
What I did not like about the PG: Especially for men, some PG owners put a lot of restrictions – no partying, no alcohol, no friends and time restrictions. This sometimes turns out to be a problem.
Upasna Sirohi
IAS aspirant, Meerut
What I loved about life in a PG: It was my first stint away from home, doing chores on my own. I feel it was a perfect synthesis of independence and cooperation. I also learnt to live with so many people around me, coming from different backgrounds and regions. We struggled at handling adult life but it was fun.
What I did not like about the PG: The lack of food choices and quality of food was a dampener.
What I would suggest: I would really like the owners and managers to stop pushing in more beds in a room than it can handle. People need personal space.
Saumya Mrinali
RBI aspirant, Delhi
What I loved about life in a PG: If you choose the right location, there is nothing like it! I lived in a PG in Kamla Nagar, Delhi and there was no problem in accessing the market area. It was very convenient.
What I did not like about the PG: We were not allowed to have non-vegetarian food within the PG.
What I would suggest: Owners should actually provide the services that they advertise when pitching for PG residents. It seldom happens in many places.
Kaustav Sinha
IT pre-sales consultant at Infosys, Noida
What I loved about life in a PG: I liked that I did not have to cook for myself. Meals were provided at the right time and that was a huge benefit.
See also: Best locations for PG in Noida
What I did not like about the PG: There are a lot of restrictions often put across by the owners. The rent-per-bed system is also very expensive and the overall expenses may increase, if you do not like the food being served in the PG. My stay was unfortunately not very good but it depends from person to person and the kind of PG you move into.
FAQ
What is the price range of PG properties in Noida?
Co-living and PG properties are in the price range of Rs 3,500 to Rs 20,000 per month and vary, depending on the size of the property, amenities provided to the residents, location of the property, etc.
Where can I look for good PG properties in Gurgaon?
You can log on to Housing.com and head to the PG/Co-living section, to shortlist a PG property of your choice.
Do working professionals and students cohabit in a PG?
It depends on your liking. You can always ask the PG owner and alert them about your preferences, before finalising a room in a PG. Usually, students prefer living with other students.
Sneha takes her head and heart to work. A passionate writer, she loves to pen observations about real estate, policies, business, infrastructure, lifestyle, luxury, marketplace and people. She is a gold-medalist and majored in English Literature and Communications. Off work, she is interested in theatre.
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