For a housing society committee, hiring security and housekeeping is the largest recurring decision on the balance sheet — and usually the most complained-about line in the AGM. This guide is written for RWA committees and society managers across Maharashtra: how to scope the requirement, what it should cost in 2026, what the law expects from your vendor, and how to structure a contract that survives committee changes.
Scope before quotes: what does your society actually need?
Collecting quotes before defining scope is how societies end up comparing incomparable numbers. Map these first:
- Posts: main gate(s), lobby/tower desks, basement/parking, clubhouse, perimeter or podium patrol points.
- Shifts: which posts are 24×7, which are day-only (e.g., clubhouse), and whether nights need a dedicated patroller.
- Housekeeping zones: lobbies, lifts, corridors, podium, clubhouse, washrooms, waste rooms — with frequencies for each.
- Special needs: lady guards for frisking/community events, visitor-management app, intercom protocol, delivery-agent handling.
A typical 2-tower, single-gate society runs 4–8 security personnel and 3–6 housekeeping staff; township-scale communities run far larger integrated teams — see our gated communities program for how these are structured.
What it costs (2026, Maharashtra)
Indicative per-person monthly costs: guards ₹14,000–₹24,000 and housekeeping ₹12,500–₹19,000 depending on city — Mumbai at the top of the band, Vidarbha at the bottom. City-wise detail: Mumbai, Thane, Pune. The full statutory arithmetic (PF, ESIC, relievers) is in the cost guide — insist on that break-up in every quote your committee tables.
The compliance duty most committees don’t know they carry
As principal employer, a society can be pursued for its vendor’s unpaid PF/ESIC and wage violations. Protect the committee:
- Contract only PSARA-licensed agencies — verify the licence, don’t just photocopy it.
- Collect quarterly compliance packs: PF/ESIC challans, wage registers, police-verification certificates for every deployed person including relievers.
- Put service levels in writing: patrol frequency, grooming standards, response times, replacement timelines for absent staff.
- Require digital attendance — month-end disputes disappear when the muster is electronic.
Why integrated society contracts work better
Separate security and housekeeping vendors mean two supervisors, two invoices, and a committee refereeing the gap between them (“that’s not our scope”). One integrated partner means:
- One supervisor accountable for the entire premises experience;
- Cross-trained staff (housekeeping alerting security, guards logging maintenance issues);
- One escalation number for residents and one report for the committee;
- Typically 10–15% lower total cost through shared supervision.
Red flags when interviewing agencies
- No PSARA licence, or “it’s under renewal” with nothing to show.
- Rates dramatically below the market band — someone’s wages or your compliance is funding the discount.
- No named supervisor for your society, or supervision “on call” only.
- Guards sourced overnight with no verification paper trail.
- Reluctance to share references from societies of similar size.
Frequently asked questions
How many guards does a typical society need?
A single-gate, 2-tower society typically runs 4–8 across day/night; add posts for basements, clubhouses and larger perimeters. A free site assessment maps this precisely before you commit.
Can we get lady guards for daytime and events?
Yes — verified lady officers for lobby duty and community events are a standard part of residential deployments.
Who owns visitor-management technology — society or agency?
Either works; what matters is that gate staff are trained on it and logs are retrievable. We deploy with digital attendance and GPS patrol verification as standard.
How do we switch vendors without a security gap?
Overlap handover by 3–7 days: incoming team shadows shifts, SOPs and registers are documented, access lists rotate on day one. We manage this transition as part of onboarding.
Put your society’s requirement to us
Get a free quote — a Bryte specialist calls back within 4 business hours (Mon–Sat), then a free society walkthrough and a proposal your committee can table at the next meeting. Or call +91 98201 85978. Bryte Group: PSARA licensed, serving Maharashtra since 1996, 1,000+ sites managed.