However, most students fall for paying guests over independent flats as it is a convenient deal – given that one gets food and furniture in a paying guest unlike flats wherein they need to buy furniture and cook food on their own.
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Paying guests are not legal accommodations and students often land themselves into hassles. Here are the top five problems they face and the best way to deal with these problems.
Get a rent agreement: A lease agreement having duration of more than one year requires compulsorily registration but a license agreement does not require compulsory registration. “If the nature of the agreement executed between the landlord and the student is in the nature of lease and has duration of more than one year, then registration is compulsory and the student must insist on the same,” says Sunil Tyagi, co-founder, senior partner, ZEUS Law.
Get your police verification done: In most of the states, it is mandatory for landlords to get police verification of tenant.
You can get a PG accommodation without local guardians: Several students in Delhi NCR are often denied accommodation if they don’t have a local guardian. However, legally, it is not mandatory for students who are adults to have local guardians.
Save yourself from police raids in your PG: Sometimes, police raids are conducted and paying guests are often shut down as the owners don’t pay tax. How can you ensure your own safety in such a situation? “Before entering into an agreement with the landlord for accommodation, student must check with the owner whether he has obtained all the necessary licenses/permissions required to run a paying guest accommodation from the local authorities. This will prevent students from entering into a situation where due to fault of the owner the paying guest accommodation maybe shut down,” says Tyagi.
Your landlord cannot refuse to return your security deposit: Most paying guests ask students to serve one month notice period before vacating the place. Some owners refuse to return the advance security deposit. “Where the owner retains security deposit contrary to the agreement entered between the owner and the student, a suit for recovery can be filed against the owner for such unauthorized retention of money,” says Tyagi.
Resource: http://www.hindustantimes.com/education/searching-for-a-paying-guest-5-things-you-must-know/story-ruom8r9P2jzYgSRf6ZG0gK.html
