| Name of Complainant | |
| Date of Complaint | June 3, 2024 |
| Name(s) of companies complained against | Delhi, Lado Sarai, Shree Aurobindo hostel |
| Category of complaint | Consumables |
| Permanent link of complaint | Right click to copy link |
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I, Dr. Chunoti Punwatkar, currently residing at Shree Aurobindo Hostel, F221b Lado Sarai behind DDA parking New Delhi 110030, wish to lodge a formal complaint against Mr. Prithviraj Chauhan, the owner of the PG/Hostel where I am currently staying. I moved to Delhi from Trivandrum, Kerala, for my post-graduation internship, which is scheduled for 1.5 months, from 1st May 2024 to 14th June 2024. I am writing to report the harassment, unhygienic conditions, and non-refund of the deposit by Mr. Chauhan.
Incident Details:
1. Initial Stay and Payment:
30th April 2024: I arrived in Delhi and initially stayed at a hotel booked online. Feeling unsafe, I urgently needed a PG accommodation. I was shown two PGs by two men. I decided to shift to the hostel.
1st May 2024: I decided to move out of the hotel the same day after joining the office. I paid ₹12,500 to a man named Saurabh for one month’s rent and a half deposit. On 1st May 2024, I moved my luggage to the PG located on the top floor, which was difficult. The room was in a horrible condition with a broken toilet, a non-functional cooler, and unhygienic environment, far from my workplace.
2. Relocation to Current PG:
2nd May 2024: I contacted the men again and asked for a shift after they provided the address of my current PG, and I went directly from the office around 6-6:30 PM. The owner, Mr. Prithviraj Chauhan, showed me a room but quoted Rs. 9,500 instead of the Rs. 8,000 I was told for a double-sharing cooler room. He promised me good hygienic services like availability of housekeeping, good rooms, availability of water cooler, washing machine, inverter. I told him this place would be far from my workplace but he convinced me that the bus stop is nearby and you can easily find a bus to your office. As negotiations did not work and due to the late hour, unfamiliarity with the city, facilities he promised, and low phone battery, I reluctantly agreed to rent the place. On the same day, I paid an additional Rs. 5,500, totalling Rs. 18,000, with Rs. 9,000 as rent for one month and Rs. 9,000 as a deposit.
That night, I was given Room No. 6 on the ground floor, which had no cooler, and the toilet seat was cracked. Mr. Chauhan assured me that he would shift me to a better room if any girl comes to stay with me as a room partner. I stayed in that room for 2nd May only as I was planning to stay with a friend during the holiday from 3rd May to 6th May 2024.
3. Living Conditions and Issues:
6th May 2024: Upon returning after a short break, I found the room was still unclean, the toilet seat cracked, and no cooler was provided.
During this period, I observed several issues:
• Difficulty in commuting to my office.
• Water issues with no availability on the ground floor and a dirty water cooler, not sure if the filters work.
• Unhygienic food conditions, where meals were left open for hours and then reheated and served.
• Delayed breakfast caused me to leave for the office empty-stomach or get late.
• Uncomfortable access to water from the second floor where boys stayed.
• Wi-Fi Issues: The Wi-Fi was not working for the next two days, and Mr. Chauhan’s phone was switched off. This made communication difficult as there was no network in the room.
• Cooler is still not provided.
• Charging sockets in the room are not working well. When I Came he told me that he would arrange extra sockets in the room.
4. Health and Safety Concerns:
I suffered from an infection likely due to the unhygienic conditions and had to purchase antibiotics on 8th May 2024 from a medical store near Max Hospital, Saket.
On 11th May 2024, in the afternoon while moving to a new room i.e. room no. 1 with my roommate, a drunk man entered the building and spoke indecently, making me feel unsafe.
5. Further Issues and Non-Refund of Deposit:
After discussing with my roommate and other PG mates, I discovered my roommate paid Rs. 7,500 rent with a deposit of less than Rs. 3,000 for a double-sharing cooler room. Other PG residents have paid Rs. 8000 and some paid 8,500 for the cooler facility. Despite confronting Mr. Chauhan, he insisted on Rs. 9,500 as the standard rate.
Due to the persistent unhygienic conditions, I suffered from a gastric issue and decided to shift from the PG even for the remaining days.
20th May 2024: I informed Mr. Chauhan of my decision to move and requested a refund of my deposit. He refused and stated he would charge extra for electricity bills.
After multiple attempts by my brother and his friend (a lawyer) to contact him, he refused to return the deposit, citing a two-month commitment and additional electricity charges. He also rudely refused to entertain any calls.
My brother and his friend, who is a lawyer, also attempted to contact Mr. Chauhan, but he did not respond. They repeatedly called him for 4 to 5 days.
24th May 2024: My friend called him multiple times, to which he responded dismissively, stating he would not return the deposit. He talked about unequal rent amounts, to the owner replied that I came through someone not directly but when I talked with my roommate I learned that she also came with one of those men with whom I came to current PG, they were also introducing her to different Pgs.
I have sent him numerous messages on WhatsApp, but he has not responded to any of them. Despite my brother and his friend calling him multiple times, he did not answer their calls.
Furthermore, I learned from my roommate that the PG owner sends her inappropriate messages, which he later deletes. He also frequently calls her, offering to pick her up from work and asking her to have dinner with him at restaurants.
Given my kidney condition, which requires a specific diet, and a history of dust allergy, the unhygienic conditions here are terrifying and detrimental to my health. I have been admitted to the hospital twice for kidney infections in the past. As a healthcare worker, I find it intolerable and unsafe to continue staying here.
Given the above points, I feel unsafe and mentally stressed, and my health is at risk. I request immediate intervention to:
• Address the unhygienic living conditions and refuse to return my deposit despite the poor services.
• Facilitate the refund of my deposit amounting to ₹9,000.
• Ensure the safety and security of tenants.
• Take appropriate action against Mr. Prithviraj Chauhan for his misconduct and harassment.
