PG rent rises across city as food costs and LPG prices push up monthly expenses

Chennai: Staying in a paying guest (PG) accommodation has become costlier across Chennai and Tambaram. Operators have hiked rents by at least 35 per cent and introduced separate food charges due to a sharp rise in commercial LPG prices, food provisions and operating costs.There are at least 200 registered men’s and women’s PGs across the city, and thousands of college students and young professionals depend on them for affordable accommodation. For most of them, monthly expenses have increased significantly as the average rent for a three-sharing room has risen from around ₹9,000 to ₹11,000. At the same time, double-sharing accommodation now costs nearly ₹14,000, compared with ₹12,000 earlier.

Electricity charges continue to be billed separately.Many PG operators have also begun charging separately for accommodation and food. Tenants are now required to pay a monthly maintenance fee of ₹500-₹750, while food charges range between ₹4,500 and ₹6,500 depending on the number of meals chosen.Ankit Tanawade, a 35-year-old IT professional from Pune, living in a PG near Nungambakkam railway station, said his rent increased sharply this year.

“When I moved here three years ago, I paid ₹8,500 for a three-sharing room. It is now ₹11,500. In the last two years, the rent increased only by ₹500 each year, but this year it went up by ₹1,500. When we asked for a reason, we were told to either pay the revised rent or vacate,” he said.M Roshan, a private college student staying in a PG near T Nagar, said students find it difficult to manage the additional expenses. “Earlier, food was included with the rent.

Now we are paying separately. We pay ₹3,000 for two meals a day, and for three, it is ₹4,500. We are unable to contact the owners, and the managers say the decisions are made by the owners,” he said.S Pallavi, a private school teacher from Kanniyakumari residing in a PG in Tambaram, said the rent increased from ₹10,000 to ₹12,000 despite the absence of basic facilities. “There were several nights last month when there was no power, and the PG had no backup.

We told them we would pay the revised rent only if they provide power backup,” she said.Explaining the hike, G Karthik, treasurer of the Tamil Nadu PG and hostel owners association, said registered PGs had been advised not to increase rents by more than ₹1,000. “Commercial LPG cylinders now cost around ₹3,500 compared with about ₹1,900 earlier. A PG with around 100 tenants requires nearly 20 commercial cylinders every month. The prices of provisions have also increased considerably. While some PGs have raised rents beyond the suggested limit, inspections will be conducted, and necessary action will be taken,” he said.