PG Accommodation Ideas At Your Home

The persistent growth of the IT sector has given rise to an ever growing demand for PG accommodation in Bangalore.

Offering PG accommodation for intending aspirants is a lucrative earning opportunity for you when you have the abilities to manage such an enterprise. The law governing private PG accommodation is very fluid or rather absent. More often than not, the paying guests are at the receiving end of this legal laxity. In recent times, PG accommodation has also taken different hues with the organized or semi organized sector entering into this business. ‘Serviced apartments’ is another name for a PG accommodation of sorts.

Apart from these, one can also find working men’s hostels and working women’s hostels that are styled as paying guest accommodations. Legal protection to the tenants/guests in any of these formats is largely absent. The state and the municipal authorities are seized of the gravity of the situation, more because there is a tremendous revenue loss to the exchequer than the intense concern to protect the hapless tenants. Sooner than later, therefore, one should expect a uniform law covering different aspects of paying guest accommodation in Bangalore and elsewhere.

Paying guest accommodation from home has been in vogue in Bangalore for several years now and the Anglo- Indian community, particularly in the Cantonment area has played a stellar role in popularizing this facility. In its nascent stages, the IT industry had not even entered India, and much less the city of Bangalore. Even without a legal framework, the hosts treated their guests more like members of the family and many of them levied very reasonable charges. Today’s hosts are far different and the ‘business’ if one may call it, has spread beyond the Anglo-Indian community and the Cantonment limits. To make the best out of this growing opportunity, the house owners/hosts should take into consideration, the following;

Know your guests;

Most of us are familiar with the KYC norms adopted by banks. Before anything else, it is important to know your guest and have access to a verified identity proof and address proof (employee ID copy is a good backup). Ask your guest to be introduced by a local contact/parent/guardian and see if they are willing to take responsibility for the guest’s conduct. Getting a letter of undertaking will further ensure your security and safety.

Space for guests should be independently accessible;

The space for the guest/s should have independent access so that every time they get in and get out, your comforts are not compromised. Prepare a set of house rules like night access, noise levels within the space provided to the guest/s, upkeep of the room/portion allotted, utility bills, breakfast menu and timings, if provided, lunch/dinner, if provided, and other cost bearing services included in the package. More importantly, specify how absences are accounted for particularly with regards to food services.

Bath rooms;

If the guests are provided independent bath rooms, fix the responsibility of proper upkeep either by the guest/s themselves or through servants. If servants are employed for the upkeep of the space allotted to the guest/s, specify the payment process.

Financials;

Draw up an agreement specifying all the financial terms. Include an annexure showing all the furniture and fittings, fixing the responsibility of maintaining them in good condition, and handing them back to you when the guest/s vacate. If cost of damages/repair and/or missing items are to be recovered, make a specific mention.

Your agreement should ideally be for short periods of three to six months, renewable by mutual consent. A notice period of one month on either side should work well for both parties. Advance charges would however be relative to the term of the agreement. Keep the advance amount comfortable for both parties so that when the agreement is terminated you don’t have problems refunding the advance..

Code of conduct;

Set out a code of conduct for the guest/s. Consider your own lifestyle and place all necessary covenants like prohibiting use of alcohol, narcotics, and even smoking. Be very specific in banning the use of narcotics irrespective of whether your guest/s are male or female. Take no chances on this since you could potentially be implicated if an untoward event occurs. You can also speak about control that needs to be exercised with regards the use of high decibel audio and boisterous acts capable of spoiling your peace.

Your own conveniences;

In accepting paying guests, discuss threadbare with your family on how your own conveniences can be compromised. For instance, if you happen to be away for long periods of time, who manages the facilities offered to your guests and how payment issues are handled. By investing in quality time by doing your homework, you can profitably deploy the additional space in your home without getting into problems. Finally, it could be a great idea to report the details of your paying guest to the nearest police station every time a new guest arrives or departs. You can even do this with the consent of the guests and rest assured that such a measure will guarantee your peace and well being.