The transforming phase of adulting probably starts with us moving out of the cocoon of our home and moving to a big far away city for you job or studies. And when you move, finding the perfect accommodation is the biggest vex of all. Soon enough you find your mind in a tug of war between PGs and Flats. So, let’s give them some gloves, put’em in a ring and see which gets knocked out first!
Safety first please!
Home isn’t home If it doesn’t feel safe. COVID has made us look at co-living with a new perspective where we try to avoid physical contact as much as possible. While we are trying to comply with social distancing, PGs (Paying Guest) and Hostels come biting us right in the ass with a big exposure to crowd from all corners of the country.
Meanwhile apartment sharing, frankly, gives a safer haven with limited people around and much more privacy.
Broker Poker
Like there weren’t enough meddlers in life that PGs and Hostels have us dealing with the brokers. Hunting a decent PG or Hostel for rent starts with hunting a trusting broker. After that its all poker with negotiating with him, keeping a track of transactions with him and then just hoping to god he doesn’t bail on us. Behind the various big promises regarding maintenance, safety and whatnot, lies a hefty brokerage. And after that hefty fee is met, we are left with nothing but broken promises.
Professionally managed rental platforms like GetSetHome, gives us a no broker hassle free and pocket saver deal with decent flats and year-round maintenance.
Extravagant prices
A usual PG or Hostel for rent in Mumbai which provides a “packaged deal” of rent, food and laundry starts with a minimum 3 lakhs per year. And god forbid if we could find the same near the colleges without bearing a minimum shock of 4 lakhs per year. It is like we are assumed of having a rich lineage behind us!
A decent fully furnished apartment, on the other hand, in a good and safe, gated society, with an ‘all bills inclusive’ rent, near the colleges will cost almost the half of that.
Food
Put down your gym bag for a second and be real with me. We love food. Food is the ultimate solution. Had a rough day at work? Food. Had a fight with you buddy? Food. Scared not knowing where life is going? Food (I recommend choco-chip ice cream in this situation). Living in a flat with the kitchen, groceries and maybe a cook to your disposal makes it so much better to have a comfort food. The choice of menu and taste depends on you. You can adjust the timing of your cook to come according to your convenience.
Hostels and PGs on the other-hand have set menus and set cooks making it very monotonous.
Fear of Theft
Chances are you get a weird roomie when you take a PG or hostel for rent. Cosmetics, toiletries, clothes, etc. getting stolen is found to be an all-time issue in PGs and hostels. This often result in awkward fights between roommates.
Renting a flat gives us a possibility to live with the people we trust. It also offers much more privacy and discretion.
Warden: The patrolling officer
Having a warden or housekeeper at our backs 24/7 doesn’t really sound like ‘adulting’. PGs and hostels have very strict norms regarding curfew timings, food, bringing friends over and whatnot.
But an apartment gives much more autonomy to the tenant. You can come and go as you please without annoying anyone else. Having colleagues or friends over is not an issue. Ordering food late at night isn’t frowned upon by anyone. It is like living in your own home, which how it should be.
So, looking at the score board, apartment-sharing gets a whooping victory against PGs and Hostels for rent, with 6-0!
There are new times ahead of us. And they call us to act smart. “Precaution is better than cure” never stood so true before. We can still bottom feed on meager deals of PGs and hostels, or actually, find what we call Home. Behold, Flat-sharing: The better way of co-living.
