Constructing a house in Gurugram is no longer just about engineering or Vastu compliance. Now, it also involves negotiations with your neighbours.
Before starting construction, especially if you’re planning to build up to four floors, you need a written No Objection Certificate (NOC) from your neighbour — and that’s where things get tricky.
Many neighbours are demanding large sums of money, even up to ₹40 lakh, just to sign the NOC.
This amount is being treated like a 10% commission on the market value of the fourth floor of the house. Bargaining has become a common part of the process.
The Reason: Haryana’s New Stilt + 4 Policy
This new trend has emerged after the Haryana government introduced the Stilt + 4 policy, which allows buildings to have four floors.
However, in several cases, getting an NOC from neighbours is mandatory to construct the fourth floor.
This has opened the door for neighbours to ask for money in exchange for their signature.
Investment banker Sarthak Ahuja recently highlighted this issue on LinkedIn, saying neighbours in Gurugram are openly asking for up to ₹40 lakh as a commission.
The justification? Once the fourth floor is built, it can be sold for up to ₹4 crore, so they want a 10% share.
If the NOC isn’t granted, the house owner is forced to leave a 1.8-meter setback, which means the entire plot can’t be used fully, causing a financial loss.
Some people see this as smart negotiation, while others feel it’s just a form of unofficial recovery.
Legal or Moral – Where Do You Stand?
Officials say the policy aims to address the growing housing needs. But instead of bringing communities together, it’s now turning neighbourly relations into business deals.
Legal experts say there’s no law preventing such payments, but morally, it’s questionable. Is it fair for a neighbour to demand lakhs of rupees just for their signature?
Today, in Gurugram, building a house means you don’t just need an architect — you also need good relations with your neighbours.
