3 weeks ago
Gurgaon condo maintenance fees spike as wage hikes bite
People who live in apartment buildings in a city called Gurgaon pay a monthly fee to keep their buildings clean and safe.
This money pays for security guards, housekeepers, and people who take care of parks and gardens.
Recently, the government of Haryana decided that workers must be paid more money.
That decision made it more expensive for apartment buildings to pay their workers.
So, many apartment buildings are raising the fees they charge the people who live there.
For example, one family's monthly bill is going up from about Rs 7,900 to Rs 13,500.
Some residents are upset and are refusing to pay the higher amount.
A few big apartment communities are trying to spend less money so they don't have to raise fees.
But most communities think the price increase is unavoidable.
Haryana's 35% minimum wage hike, applied retrospectively from April 1, 2026, is driving up common area maintenance charges across Gurgaon condominiums.
At Adani M2K Oyster Grande's B1 block, maintenance rates are rising from Rs 3 to Rs 5.33 per sq ft, taking monthly bills from about Rs 7,900 to Rs 13,500.
RWAs anticipate an overall 15-30% increase in expenses, which threatens to push households past the Rs 7,500 monthly threshold where 18% GST applies.
Suncity township on Golf Course Road is proposing a 15-20% rate hike pending a General Body Meeting, while Sector 23A has already implemented wage-linked revisions with arrears.
Larger condominiums such as Sobha City and Imperial Gardens are trying cost-cutting measures to avoid passing the full burden to residents, though associations expect hikes to be eventually unavoidable.
- Who
- Residents, Residents' Welfare Associations, and maintenance agencies in Gurgaon condominiums, affected by the Haryana government's minimum wage revision.
- What
- A steep rise in common area maintenance (CAM) charges at residential condominiums across Gurgaon.
- Where
- Gurgaon (Gurugram), Haryana, including sectors such as 102, 108, 23A, and Golf Course Road.
- When
- Following the Haryana government's wage hike announced in April and implemented retrospectively from April 1, 2026; some societies rolled out revisions in July.
- Why
- The Haryana government hiked minimum wages for unskilled, semi-skilled, and skilled workers by 35%, raising costs for security, housekeeping, and facility management staff.
Residents' viewpoint
RWAs and developers' viewpoint
Fairness of the fee hike
Residents' viewpoint
Residents like Gursimran Aurora call the increase unfair and are withholding payment at the new rates, noting a visible decline in upkeep of amenities.
RWAs and developers' viewpoint
RWAs say the hike is necessary to comply fully with the Haryana wage revision and cover higher costs for security, housekeeping, park maintenance, and arrears.
How to cope with higher costs
Residents' viewpoint
Residents expect societies and builders to absorb costs, with Sobha City residents negotiating to keep rates unchanged and increase revenue pools.
RWAs and developers' viewpoint
Even where cost-cutting is underway, such as at Sobha City and Imperial Gardens, associations believe an eventual rate hike is unavoidable.
Key facts
- Wage hike
- 35% increase in minimum wages by the Haryana government
- Effective date
- April 1, 2026, applied retrospectively
- Example rate change
- Rs 3 to Rs 5.33 per sq ft at Adani M2K Oyster Grande B1
- Example bill change
- From about Rs 7,900 to Rs 13,500 per month
- Expected expense increase
- 15-30% for societies, per RWAs
- GST trigger
- 18% GST if monthly maintenance exceeds Rs 7,500 and annual aggregate turnover exceeds Rs 20 lakh
- Suncity proposed hike
- 15-20% rate increase pending General Body Meeting approval
- Imperial Gardens rates
- Rs 3.40 per sq ft CAM plus Rs 0.30 per sq ft electricity; latest quarterly bill Rs 22,478
Quotes
RWA General Secretary Bhawani Shankar Tripathy
General Secretary of the Residents’ Welfare Association in Gurgaon
““We are in talks with the builder to keep the rates as is for us, and increase revenue pools. Let us see,””
indianexpress.com
““We were trying to manage without increasing the fees but to comply fully, we have to,””
indianexpress.com
Sources
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