Before you go
At a glance, Watch Out, Common Questions, IKAN India Essentials. 6 min read.
01At a glance
Key facts at a glance
The figures families ask us for first. Each one is explained in its chapter.
- Where you are moving
- Gurgaon (Gurugram), India's corporate capital and the Millennium City in the National Capital Region.
- Security deposit
- Two to three months' rent is standard practice.
- Standard lease
- An 11-month lease is standard, renewable with a 5 to 10% escalation. Any tenure over a year must be registered at the Sub-Registrar's office in Gurugram.
- Move-in report
- Your move-in record is made in move.report and reaches you within 24 hours of check-in. You can comment on it for 24 hours from when you receive it. See a sample report.
02Watch Out
What to watch out for
These are the things Gurugram won't tell you upfront, but every experienced intra-India transferee eventually learns. Know them before you arrive in NCR's corporate capital.
Winter air pollution
If you are arriving from Bangalore, Mumbai, or Hyderabad, NCR winter air will be a completely new category of bad. AQI regularly crosses 300 (Very Poor) and 500 (Severe) from late October through February. HEPA air purifiers in every bedroom are highly recommended and often considered essential. Plan an out-of-NCR trip for Diwali week if you have sensitive children or asthma. This is the single largest adjustment for intra-India transferees.
Summer water top-ups
Piped water supply in Gurugram is generally reliable, but during peak summer some societies supplement with private water tankers to cover demand. Confirm your prospective society's water arrangement before signing, well-managed RWAs handle this without trouble, so it rarely affects day-to-day living in established gated complexes.
Cyber City peak-hour gridlock
The road network around DLF Cyber City, Iffco Chowk, MG Road, NH-48 service lanes, gridlocks at peak hours: morning 8:30-11am and evening 5-9:30pm. A 5km journey can take 60 minutes. Plan to travel outside these windows where you can. The Rapid Metro is 10 minutes for the same distance during peak. Adjust your social and family schedules to Gurugram's traffic windows or lose two hours a day.
School waitlists
Top CBSE schools (DPS Sushant Lok, K R Mangalam) and premium international schools (Heritage School, Scottish High) typically have waitlists of 3 to 6 months for popular grades. Mid-term admissions are difficult. Begin applications before your move whenever possible. IKAN recommends schools based on your corridor and curriculum preference.
Lease reality
Gurugram uses 11-month Lease agreements with a 2 to 3 month security deposit. Annual escalation is 5-10%. The 11-month term is standard because any Lease with a tenure longer than 1 year must be registered at the Sub-Registrar's Office in Gurugram; 11-month agreements only require stamping. Documentation required is PAN, not employment letter or salary slips. Expect a lock-in period of 6 to 12 months during which neither party may break the contract; the real-estate agent fee is around one month's rent, paid at signing. Never accept verbal agreements, insist on a properly stamped Lease before paying.
DG backup reality
Power outages are less frequent than in Delhi proper but real, especially in summer. Premium gated complexes have backup generators (DG sets) covering common areas plus basic flat power (lights, fans, one AC). Full-power backup is rare. Confirm exactly what the DG covers in your prospective complex, and budget for an inverter if comprehensive backup matters.
Civic infrastructure inconsistency
Gurugram's NH-48 corridor and main roads are excellent. Internal sector roads are routinely potholed and waterlogged. Municipal Corporation Gurugram (MCG) is overstretched; basic services (street lighting, drainage, garbage collection) vary by area and depend heavily on a well-functioning RWA. DLF Phases 1-5 and Golf Course Road are generally well-maintained; older sectors are less reliable.
Cultural thinness
For a city of its commercial weight, Gurugram is culturally light. Theatres, museums, music venues, and heritage sites concentrate in Delhi proper, 30 to 45 minutes away on a good day. Build your cultural calendar around weekend trips into central Delhi (Khan Market, Hauz Khas, Lutyens precinct) or accept that Gurugram's strength is corporate, not cultural. Leisure Valley Park, DLF Cyber Hub, and Galleria Market fill the gap partially.
Maintenance charges (CAM)
Premium DLF and Golf Course Road complexes carry steep monthly maintenance, ₹8 to 15 per sq ft, often ₹20,000 to 50,000 a month on top of rent for a large unit. It covers clubhouse, security, power-backup and water-tanker logistics, but is frequently quoted separately and overlooked. Always ask for the exact CAM figure and what it includes before you sign, it can add 15-20% to your effective housing cost.
03Common Questions
Common questions
The questions families ask us most, answered from this guide.
How much security deposit do landlords in Gurgaon ask for?
Two to three months' rent is standard practice. Your IKAN consultant negotiates it and gets the figure in writing before you sign.
What is the standard lease length in Gurgaon?
An 11-month lease is standard, renewable with a 5 to 10% rise. Any lease over a year must be registered at the Sub-Registrar's office in Gurugram. Three IKAN reviewers check every clause before the lease reaches you.
Which are the best neighbourhoods in Gurgaon for a relocating family or professional?
This guide profiles 6 areas, and families ask us most about four of them. DLF Phase 1 has independent villas and builder floors. DLF Phase 2 and 3 are apartment communities. DLF Phase 4 and 5, on Golf Course Road, are the premium golf course corridor. Dwarka Expressway and New Gurugram are an affordable, newer corridor. The Where to live chapter helps you match a shortlist to your budget and commute.
How does the IKAN move-in inspection work?
On check-in day your consultant photographs every meter, key and fixture. The record is made in move.report and reaches you within 24 hours. You can comment on it for 24 hours from when you receive it, and then it is locked as your move-in baseline. That baseline is what protects your deposit at move-out.
04Go Deeper · IKAN India Essentials
Step by step guides for the paperwork
Each step in this guide has a matching IKAN India Essentials guide. It goes through the forms one by one, and it is the pack your consultant works from. Start with these five.
Renting Your Home
The playbook for a Leave & License (the standard Indian lease): deposits, clauses and registration.
Read the guide
Lease Registration & Stamp Duty
When a lease must be registered, what stamp duty costs and the Sub-Registrar step-by-step.
Read the guide
Rent & the TDS Rule
When higher rents make you, the tenant, deduct and deposit tax on the landlord's behalf.
Read the guide
Schools & Admissions
Curricula, timelines and the admissions paperwork, board by board.
Read the guide
Healthcare in India
Hospitals, insurance networks, pharmacies and everyday care.
Read the guide
Already moving with IKAN?
Your homes, dates and papers are in i-Navigate, IKAN's app for families. It opens with the email address your IKAN consultant has for you, then sends you a six digit code.
Open your move Not moving with IKAN yet? Write to relo@ikan.com and a consultant will reply.