Paying Guest Room in Lahore: How to Rent a Room in a Family Home

A paying guest, usually called a PG, rents a room inside someone's home and often shares the kitchen, living area or washroom with the family. It sits between a hostel and a rented flat. You get more privacy than a dormitory and a smaller bill than a whole portion, but you also live by the host's house rules. This guide explains how it works in Lahore and what to settle before you hand over any money.

PG, hostel or room for rent: what is the difference?

• Paying guest: one room in a family home. The owner or family lives there too. Rules come from the household.
• Hostel: a building run as a business with many residents, fixed rules and often meals. See our hostel guide.
• Room for rent: a room let on its own, which may or may not be inside the owner's home. See rooms for bachelors.

On property portals, PG rooms appear in their own category and are mixed with ordinary rooms. Always read the advert to see whether the owner lives in the house.

Who a PG room suits

• Students and new graduates who want a quieter place than a hostel.
• Working people who are new to the city and want a short, flexible stay.
• Anyone who wants meals or laundry from the household, if the owner offers them.

What to ask before you pay

1. Who lives in the house? Ask how many people live there, whether there are children or elderly relatives, and who else rents a room.
2. What exactly is included? Electricity, gas, water, internet, cleaning, laundry and meals. Ask for each one by name and ask how extra use is charged.
3. What is shared? Kitchen, fridge, washroom, living room, terrace. Ask for set times if the washroom is shared.
4. What are the house rules? Guests, visitors of the opposite sex, cooking, smoking, late night entry, noise, prayer and meal times.
5. How is rent paid? Monthly in advance, on which date, by bank transfer or cash, and whether you will get a receipt.
6. What is the deposit? The amount, what it covers and when it is returned. See security deposit and advance rent.
7. How much notice do you need to give? And how much notice can the owner give you?
8. Is the room lockable? Ask for a lock on your own door and what happens when the family has a guest.

Visit before you decide

• Go in daytime and again in the evening to see noise and traffic.
• Check the room: windows, ventilation, a working fan or AC, a bed, a wardrobe and a power point near the bed.
• Look at the washroom and kitchen you will use, and at the route you will walk from the front door.
• Meet the person you will deal with every day, not only a property dealer.
• Women and families moving alone should tell a friend or relative the address and take someone along for the first visit.

Police registration

Under the Punjab Information of Temporary Residents Act, 2015, anyone who gives accommodation to a temporary resident, and not only landlords of whole houses, must give the resident's details to the local police. The duty is on the host, but you need to provide your CNIC copy and photos. Ask the host at the start whether they will register you, and keep a copy of the form. Our guide to tenant registration in Lahore explains the steps and documents.

Put the arrangement in writing

Even for a single room, write down the basics. A short note signed by both sides is far better than a spoken promise. Include:

• Your name, the host's name and both CNIC numbers.
• The address and which room you are renting.
• The monthly rent, due date and what is included.
• The deposit and the conditions for returning it.
• The house rules you agreed.
• The notice period for both sides.

For a longer stay, use a proper agreement. Our guide to the rent agreement format shows what a full one contains. Whether a single-room paying guest arrangement counts as a tenancy under the Punjab Rented Premises Act, 2009 depends on the facts, so ask a lawyer if you expect a dispute.

Red flags

• The owner asks for the full deposit or several months of rent before you have seen the room.
• The price is far below similar rooms in the same area.
• The owner refuses to meet, or the person showing the room is not the one who will host you.
• No one will say who else lives in the house.
• You are not allowed to see the washroom or kitchen.
• The owner will not register you or will not give any receipt.

What we could not verify

• A typical monthly PG rent for each part of Lahore. Prices vary too much by area and by what is included. Compare current rooms for rent.
• Whether PG arrangements are treated as tenancies under the Punjab Rented Premises Act, 2009.

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws and procedures can change. For a specific situation, speak to a qualified lawyer or the relevant office.