The PG room checklist worth carrying to the visit
Fifteen minutes of inspection prevents three months of regret. Check these before you hand over a deposit.
The room itself
- Open the tap and check water pressure, hot and cold.
- Switch on the fan and the light; ask about power backup.
- Check the mattress, the lock on the door and the window latch.
- Look for damp on the walls behind the bed and under the window.
- Confirm how many beds the room actually holds.
The building
- Is there a water tank, and is it cleaned on a schedule?
- Where is the nearest exit if the corridor fills with smoke?
- Is the entrance lit at night and is the gate locked after hours?
- How is waste collected, and who cleans the common bathroom?
The money
- Rent, deposit and exactly what the deposit is held against.
- Notice period and whether the deposit is returned before or after you leave.
- Electricity: metered or per head, and the rate per unit.
- Food: included, optional, or not available — and the monthly charge.
- Any one-time charge: maintenance, key deposit, registration.
Get it in writing
A one-page rent agreement listing rent, deposit, notice and refund terms is enough. If the owner will not sign one, that is a statement about how the exit will go.
Questions people ask
How much deposit is normal?
One month for a PG, two for many girls-only properties. Three is high outside a few metro markets — negotiate or keep looking.
Should I pay a token amount to hold a room?
Only after you have seen the room and met the owner, and only with a written receipt stating the refund rule if you do not move in.