Amid exodus, enter the furniture-keepers in Gurugram

GURUGRAM: Milan Ranjan, a 29-year-old IT professional, was heading back to Ranchi as his office had offered him the option of working from home till early next year. But he had a bed, a cupboard, a refrigerator and a 50-inch TV he had bought to watch football matches after work. In these times of pandemic, no packing agency was ready to transport them all the way to the Jharkhand capital.
Milan looked up the internet, even enquired from friends on social media if they knew anybody who could keep his furniture for a fee. The monthly house rent of Rs 20,000 was proving to too costly. While a few companies offer storage space for a fee, it was a Facebook post from Anish Bakshi, a resident of Ardee City, that caught Milan’s attention. It said, “If you have left Gurugram due to lockdown but are still paying rent to landlords because your stuff is still here, we are offering storage space in Ardee City. You can arrange for packers and movers to shift your stuff to our place and keep it here for as long as you want at less than 50% of your rent.”
It took Milan less than 24 hours to strike a deal. “This is such a good idea. People of Gurugram are coming forward to help each other keep their stuff as they understand how difficult it is to pay the high rent in the city,” the 29-year-old said.
Work from home arrangements have not only led to an exodus of white-collared executives to their hometowns, it has also given birth to a new class of businessmen — the furniture-keepers.
As more and more people leave the city and find it pointless to pay house rent just to store their furniture, agencies and individuals are coming forward to offer space for a reasonable fee. Over the past few weeks, there have been several posts on social media where users have offered their houses or garages to those willing to store stuff. These temporary arrangements cost anything between Rs 2,000 and Rs 4,000 a month, much cheaper than house rent in any part of the city.
Akshay Sahni had made a similar offer on social media a few days earlier. Since then, his phone hasn’t stopped buzzing. “This concept is fast picking up. We are offering storage space in DLF 2 and 3, Sikenderpur, MG Road, Cyber City, IIfco Chowk and Udyog Vihar. All my accommodations in these areas are vacant and they can be used to store stuff. People just need to pay 40% of the rent,” he added.
This is a win-win situation for both. While those leaving the city can save on paying house rent, those owning PGs and rooms are getting some business in the absence of tenants.
Joy Sahni, who owns a flat in DLF Phase 2, has been getting 7-8 calls daily about storage space. “Business is tough these days as most people have left the city. I realised that people may move out, but they need space to store furniture and other stuff. This is a temporary arrangement, but looks feasible for now,” he added.
Those leaving their belongings back are also ensuring they are not cheated later. “I asked for the owner’s ID proof and an agreement before I decided to keep my stuff with him. They are charging a nominal rent. For a few bags of clothes, books and kitchen utilities, it is just Rs 1,000 a month,” said M Srinivash, an IT professional who is moving to Chennai.
Those offering space are also leaving no stone unturned to ensure there is no problem in the future. “I am asking people to send me pictures of each and every item they are planning to keep with me. I don’t want any problems later,” said Neeraj Yadav, who has offered a part of his Sector 23 flat after his roommate left.