Women staying at private hostels pay 62 percent more security deposit than men, for the same rent in Bengaluru
Women in private hostels pay 62 percent more security deposit than men in private hostels, a survey by the students of Public Policy in Bengaluru shows.
Women who stay in private hostels, end up paying Rs.21,600 on average for security deposit, whereas men pay Rs.8,300 for the same. It was shown that the facilities provided by both hostels were almost the same in terms of WiFi, Food, and Utilities.
Data shows that although the rent is almost similar for both genders, the security deposit is higher for girls-only hostels.
Akshaye, the researcher of the survey said, “People pay the highest security deposits for staying between 100-500 meters of their place of education or college. Many people who filled out the survey said that they stay in these hostels only because they either have no other option or because it was ‘safer’ than flats.”
Arishmita, a student who stays in a private hostel near her college campus said, “I paid Rs 20,000 as the security deposit, out of which Rs 10,000 is non-refundable and not many details were mentioned as to why it is being collected and Rs.10,000 will be refunded when I leave the hostel.”
Suraj Kumar, a former Paying Guest (PG) owner at Halasuru said that when he ran a girls-only PG, his costs were more; CCTV cameras, security guard and we should have a warden who has to call the girls if they don’t return to the hostel on time. That’s why we had to collect a high-security deposit.
While Vinit, a male student who stays in the same hostel service, in the boys-only building said that he paid Rs 10,000 as the security deposit, which will be fully refundable when he hands over his keys.
A staff from Rentorio Bannerghatta said, “The security deposit doesn’t exactly depend on gender, it is because of the facilities provided and the size of the room and sometimes the area.”
Dr Ragitha Rajendran, PhD in Gender Studies said, “I have faced this issue personally with my own family members. My unmarried woman cousin faced so many issues in her hostel in terms of rent, security deposit, and health and hygiene, as compared to my unmarried cousin who was also staying in an all-boys PG. Both the PGs were of the same owner and in similar localities, but the rent and security deposit varied, significantly.”
She added, “Women are not even allowed to dry their inner garments in the balcony, while men face no issue with the same. This is an attack on gender itself.”
She concluded by saying, “When women end up paying more, they should take it all in writing. Any payment made should be justified in writing by the hostel owners, similar to that of a rental agreement.”
