Home Affairs

“The availability of houses is purely area-wise. In an area like Kondhwa,houses are fairly easy to find,but in an area like Shivajinagar,houses are very difficult to get,owing to their proximity to colleges like Fergusson College,” says Murtaza Shakir a student. The 21-year old,who is currently pursuing his BCom at Pune College,adds,“In Kondhwa,the rents are very high,and since it’s a hilly region,there is hardly any development there. Students also end up spending a lot of money on transportation” While house hunting woes are a common sight in almost all major cities,the problem in Pune is acute with the influx of the student community being on an all time high. As a result,people have to settle for either an expensive boarding house or a place in a not-so-good locality.

Vinod Rajurkar a broker since the last 5 years,says,” I think the good areas in Pune ,especially the housing societies have a lot of restrictions. Young students and single working girls and boys are usually considered as ruckus-makers and so the flat owners are very wary of them. In fact,a lot of flats have boards posted outside their place saying that students are not allowed. Even those who do rent out their place to students give them a list of rules to follow.

“Holding onto such restrictions are societies in Aundh,Shivaji Nagar and nearby areas where students are not welcome. Also few people in such areas want to keep a working person as a paying guest. Michael Varghese,who has come to the city to work,has been hunting for a house for two weeks,unsuccessfully. “Paying Guest (PG) accommodations are not even an option for me. Few people want to keep a working person as a paying guest,” he says adding,“Some landlords are unhappy because my work requires me to to be at it for late hours. While others have absurd restrictions on me. One of them even told me that I couldn’t have female visitors in my room. Not even my mother!”

On the same note,getting a PG accommodation for students is also a problem. With too many students sharing a room,cleanliness and hygiene are major issues. Murtaza Rangwala,a BBA student at the Sinhagad College of Commerce says,“The owners usually treat boarders badly. At first,they are all friendly,but over time,they put a lot of restrictions. In the case of one of my friend his landlord was unhappy with him talking on his phone constantly even in his own room!”

With PGs springing around the city perhaps a bigger problem that is faced by a lot of people is the lack of appropriate documents issued . Reena Jajoo a Law student,says,”The owner of the house where I stay in,in Koregaon Park has not given me an agreement yet although a form with all the necessary basic details has been submitted. Many a times I pay my rent in cash and I do not get any receipt in return.” Landlords also make students sign a police inquiry form. Speaking about which Jajoo adds,”The form is not very useful ,I believe. The permanent address has to be written and even something like your work ID etc can be shown,no government issued card is asked for,which means it can be faked easily.”