Our method, in public
How we check a stay
Every portal says “verified”. Here is exactly what we mean by it, who does it, and when it stops counting.
In this guide: 6 questions
What does a broker check?
Five checks, each with a name, a date and an expiry.
| Check | What it means | How |
|---|---|---|
| Room seen on a visit | A Pakka Stay broker visits, photographs the room and common areas, and confirms they match the listing. | Visit with photos |
| Owner identity | The owner’s identity is confirmed through a consented check. We keep only the outcome, never the document. | ID check, outcome only |
| Owner’s right to let | Proof the person letting the room owns it or is authorised to, such as a property tax bill or authority letter. | Document seen, not stored |
| Address matches | The address on the documents matches where the broker stood. The exact address is shown only after a visit is booked. | Visit |
| Amenities as listed | Wi-Fi, meals, water hours, AC and safety kit (extinguisher, two exits) are checked against the listing. | Visit with photos |
A stay’s card lists what is not checked yet, too. We count only checks we can show you.
What does each badge mean?
- Verified
- A named person checked this, on a date we show, and the check hasn’t expired.
- Not verified yet
- Nobody has checked it. The owner or a source says so, and that’s all.
- Simulated
- A rehearsal check in the demo or a sandbox. It never counts toward a trust score.
- Estimate
- A calculated figure, such as a walk time or electricity. The method is named beside it.
- DEMO
- Sample data for the demo. Not a real stay, owner or resident.
- The lamp row: one lamp per check, lit when that check is current.
How does the trust score work?
The score runs from 0 to 100 and blends four things: current checks (35%), what verified residents report each month (30%), whether deposits came back in full and on time (25%), and whether availability was confirmed in the last 30 days (10%).
Resident and deposit parts start from a neutral 50 and move only as real reports arrive, so one review can’t swing a stay. Only residents whose identity and stay a broker confirmed count. Simulated checks and DEMO data never count toward a real score.
If there isn’t enough evidence, we show not enough data instead of a number. A failed safety or authority check caps the score at 39.
When does a check expire?
Checks shown as current expire 30 days after the visit, and the trust score ignores anything older than 90 days. Rooms change; a check from last year says little about this term.
What happens when the same room is listed twice?
The same room often appears on several sites, or from an owner and a broker. We group listings under one property using a normalised address plus how close the map points are, and a person reviews any uncertain match. We never merge on name alone.
When sources disagree, for example on rent, we keep each figure with its own source and date, show the stay once, and keep every source’s link. Branded operators’ published price ranges stay separate and are never shown as an individually checked PG.
Red flags, and how to keep your money safe
Never pay a token amount before the visit. Pay the deposit only against a signed, registered agreement. Pakka Stay never asks for money on WhatsApp.
- Asked to pay a “token” or booking amount before you have visited.
- Asked to pay on WhatsApp, to a personal UPI ID, or in cash without a receipt.
- No written leave and licence agreement, or told registration “isn’t needed”.
- The person showing the room can’t show they own it or are allowed to let it.
- The deposit refund terms are missing, vague or only verbal.
- Pressure to decide today because “ten others are interested”.
- Photos that don’t match the room, or a refusal to let you visit at a time you choose.
Section 55 of the Maharashtra Rent Control Act, 1999 says every leave and licence agreement must be in writing and registered, and puts the duty to register on the landlord.
IGR Maharashtra’s e-Registration lets both sides draft, sign and register the agreement online, without visiting a sub-registrar’s office.
Real estate agents in Maharashtra need a MahaRERA agent registration. You can look an agent up by name or number on the MahaRERA portal.
Pakka Stay never takes payment. Something feel wrong? Use Report a problem on the stay’s check card, or read Help.