Paying Guest Diaries

Neha Upadhyay faced a similar problem. “We weren’t allowed to go out or come in after a certain time. We couldn’t bring any friends over and due to all these problems,my two friends and I decided to look for a flat-on-rent. For almost two-and-a-half weeks,we couldn’t find any as we were operating without a broker. As soon as we got in touch with a broker,we found a house within five days,” she says.

Even though the situation for some is bad,students still manage to live with it as it is often very difficult to find a new place to live in. Jaiprakash Singh,a property dealer,agrees that most of the times,housing societies do not allow in bachelors and young boys. “Boys have a tough time finding a flat. Even students,including girls,are not allowed in every society as they are said to have a different lifestyle which would intrude and disturb the schedule and comfort of the elderly people. Students usually come to me looking for 1BHK flats,and we find them a place according to their budget,” he says.

Most common problems faced by the students are water problems,electricity snags,no regular food supply and deadline restrictions,which usually end in fights,with the students finally leaving. But some fortunate students who are happy with the facilities and landlords do not complain of any such problems and live quite comfortably.

Tapan Roy,another broker,says that while finding places for students is not exactly a difficult task,landlords usually go by the reference of the brokers too. “In places like Aundh road,Baner,Law College Road and Model Colony,we have an extended network of brokers who usually tell the house owners about the students. Also now,with the mandatory registration of the paying guests and tenants with the police,they have become more comfortable. Finding houses for foreign students becomes difficult owing to the additional security risk but there are people willing to give homes to them,albeit with a lot of restrictions.”

Students Sneha Mutha and Snehal Kakade do not go through any problems though. “There is no such problem where we live. What we need is provided for or else we get it from outside. Our life is quite stress-free as far as the accommodation is concerned ”

Home away from home

Leaving home is never easy,especially when you are no more than seventeen years of age going to a different country for college education. Having to deal with living away from home and a different culture is a task in itself,and then there is also the huge question of accommodation coupled with eating and living costs that pose a big quandary for the students. “I think most Indian students prefer on-campus housing since they have meal options,and living on campus is social,” says Karan Bhathija,a student from the city who is currently studying at the University of California,Los Angeles (UCLA). “Living off-campus is more economical and you can live with your friends. Living in the dorms costs about $3000-$4000 a quarter,while living off-campus is more like $800-$2,000,depending on how many people you live with.” He is currently residing in an apartment that he shares with his friends.

Although apartments are significantly cheaper,the dorms on campus have a lot of benefits. Rama Gokhale,who is currently studying at the University of Washington but is originally from Pune,feels that dorms are more sheltered and thus offer a better environment from first-year students. “Staying in dorms for the first year is the most common option,not just with Indian students but for all out-of-state students in general. It makes more sense as you get time to adjust and things are taken care of. People move into apartments later,once they have settled down a bit,” says Gokhale.

When asked to elaborate the benefits of living in the dorm she replied,“We have RAs (resident advisors) who make sure everything is fine and that there isn’t anything illegal going on. Additionally,dorms come with a food plan,so you don’t have to cook. There are people who clean the common bathrooms. None of this is available in an apartment.”

Many students from Pune prefer to move from on-campus residences to off-campus options due to restrictions such as in-time,but according to Gokhale that isn’t the case abroad. “The doors are card-locked,so we can get in whenever we want without compromising safety and there are food options open till 1am. Living in the dorm is definitely easier,but they are significantly more expensive. The food in the dorms is quite pricey,you can easily make the same food for cheaper by buying in bulk,” she says. Gokhale was living in a dorm on campus for the first two years that she was there,but is now in the process of moving into an apartment for the next academic year. “Apartments are around $400-$600 a month,while dorms charge around $800. It is just a more economical decision.”

Vishal Jhamb,who studied at the University of Glasgow,Scotland,tried living in an apartment first but later moved into an on-campus accommodation even though it was more expensive. “An apartment will approximately cost you 150 GBP,while a university accommodation costs around 370 GBP,but it is just so much more convenient to stay on campus because you don’t have to worry about the utilities like water,heat and electricity. You don’t have to deal with the landlord or go to the town council for every small little thing,” he says.

Raunaq Retnam,who pursued his masters from Leicester,says,”Staying in an apartment works out very cheap for me and my friends. The monthly rent would be around 200 GBP,which we shared amongst six people. Also since the house is very big we do not have any major problems regarding our personal space. The dorms at the university were very expensive and even though there are more facilities there,we preferred the apartment because it helps us to become more independent.”

Tushar Murthy,who is currently pursuing his post-graduate studies in Chicago,says,”I was staying at the on-campus accommodation during the first year of my college but have moved into a rented apartment with three of my friends. The place is close to the university so we don’t lose out on travelling time. That is a huge plus point for us.”