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Volume 13 | Issue 3 | Year 2026 | Article Id. IJHSS-V13I3P109 | DOI : https://doi.org/10.14445/23942703/IJHSS-V13I3P109

The Price of Being a Woman: Rental Market Discrimination and Housing Access in Delhi NCR

Nikshit Sharma

Received Revised Accepted Published
21 Apr 2026 24 May 2026 16 Jun 2026 29 Jun 2026

Citation :

Nikshit Sharma, "The Price of Being a Woman: Rental Market Discrimination and Housing Access in Delhi NCR," International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, vol. 13, no. 3, pp. 99-108, 2026. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23942703/IJHSS-V13I3P109

Abstract

This study explores patterns of discrimination in Paying Guest (PG) accommodation in Delhi NCR, with a focus on how housing access, safety, and tenant treatment vary across different urban contexts. Data were collected through a structured quantitative survey with 49 responses and analysed using descriptive statistics and multivariate statistics. The results indicated that the city of residence determines their housing experience because it affects the total number of rejections participants face, the exact causes of their rejections, and their feelings about security. While income was found to influence the affordability of PG accommodation, financial capacity alone did not account for the unequal experiences observed. The research discovered that people faced discrimination because of their individual characteristics as well as their marital status, occupation, and personal lifestyle. The findings suggest that PG accommodation operates as an informal regulatory system that limits public entry and standard operations through rules that local housing norms and communities have developed. The research indicates that tenant rights need better protection, which can be achieved by creating more effective enforcement mechanisms and legal protection systems that defend residents from housing discrimination when they seek urban rental properties.

Keywords

Delhi NCR, Gender Discrimination, Housing Access, Paying Guest Accommodation, Rental Market, Tenant Rights, Urban Equity.

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