Setting Up Your Home

A home in India runs on a few systems that surprise newcomers, prepaid electricity meters, RO water (you can't drink the tap), cylinder cooking gas, and a building society that runs the rules. Most of it your IKAN consultant sets up with you as part of settling-in; this guide shows exactly how each works, what it costs, and what to do first, so nothing catches you out.

Your provider (the DISCOM) depends on the city, BSES/Tata (Delhi), Adani/MSEDCL (Mumbai), BESCOM (Bengaluru), TGSPDCL (Hyderabad), TNPDCL (Chennai). As a tenant you usually don't transfer the meter into your name, confirm in the lease who pays and how. The big shift: prepaid smart meters are now common, you recharge in advance like a phone, or you're cut off.

New connection (if ever needed): a ~₹50 to 100 processing fee, then a Demand Note (deposit + meter) of roughly ₹3,000 to 6,000 for a 1 to 2 kW load, with an engineer visit in 3 to 7 days.

Piped natural gas (PNG) is a mains line billed monthly, no running out, no booking; choose it if your building has the network. LPG is the default elsewhere: a steel cylinder delivered and swapped when empty.

For LPG, the three suppliers are Indane, Bharat Gas and HP Gas (~₹2,200 to 4,200 new connection). Apply with passport + rent agreement + FRRO proof. Always keep a spare cylinder ('double-bottle') so you never run dry mid-meal; book refills by app/WhatsApp, delivered in 1 to 3 days (tip ₹20 to 50).

You can rent an RO (popular for assignees, no upfront cost, maintenance bundled, cancel on exit) or buy one (Kent, Aquaguard, Livpure). The hidden cost is maintenance: filters every 6 to 8 months, membrane every 12 to 18, budget an AMC of ~₹2,000 to 6,000/year. Confirm what water your home gets (municipal, borewell or tanker), then install/rent within days and set an AMC or filter reminder.

Providers: ACT Fibernet, Airtel Xstream, JioFiber (wired), plus fixed-wireless JioAirFiber / Airtel AirFiber where fibre isn't wired, availability is pincode-specific.

Need internet today, or the building has no wired fibre? Choose AirFiber. For the best price-per-Mbps and rock-solid video calls, choose wired fibre, and add a small UPS so it survives power cuts.

The Resident Welfare Association (RWA) runs security, lifts, water, parking and amenities, effectively your building's government. Maintenance is charged monthly/quarterly (per sq ft or flat); your lease should say whether you or the landlord pays. Move-in usually needs an NOC/intimation, a refundable move-in deposit, resident registration at the security desk and vehicle stickers.

Most homes employ part-time help, it's normal and budget-friendly. Find trustworthy staff via neighbours, your society manager, a registered agency, or vetted apps. Typical 2026 pay (metro; adjust for expat areas):

Pay norms: monthly cash/UPI salary, one paid day off a week, and a Diwali bonus of ~one month's pay is strongly expected. Give fair notice both ways when your assignment ends.

The Solid Waste Management Rules 2026 (in force 1 April 2026) make four-way segregation mandatory nationwide, superseding the 2016 rules, which required three streams (wet, dry, domestic-hazardous); now sanitary waste is separated too. Buy a colour-coded bin set on day one and learn your area's pickup schedule.

Non-compliance can attract fines (commonly ₹1,000+, varies by city), and some areas refuse to collect unsegregated waste. Bonus: the kabadiwala (scrap dealer) buys newspapers, bottles and old electronics by weight for cash.