The murky business of room finding in Kathmandu

Newcomers to the city say finding a room has become costly and stressful, with unregulated brokers charging fees while offering no guarantees.

Last December, after leaving their jobs in Morang, Jeebika Sapkota and her sister arrived in Kathmandu hoping for a fresh start. But their room search became more exhausting than the Capital’s pollution: a group of middlemen, empty promises, and fees paid for nothing.