After arriving in China one of the most important things is to find a nice and comfortable place to stay, however, the overwhelming nature of the environment and the unfamiliar language can initially be very stressful. Overpriced apartments aimed for unsuspecting foreigners are hard to miss. These are the problems many expats face after arriving in China. If you want to find what you are looking for, you need to be decisive and not hesitate too long, otherwise, the desired apartment in this tight housing market is already rented out to someone else.
We have listed some of the most important Q&A before renting an apartment:
1. Can you rent an apartment in China on a tourist or study visa?
Yes, you can rent an apartment no matter what your visa status is.
2. What Documents are required for renting an apartment?
Your Passport
Landlords ID Card
Ownership Certificate of the Property
Please note that the ownership certificate must match the address written on your contract.
It is often the case that the owner lives abroad and hands over the apartment to a property management company to manage his property on his behalf. In addition, there are many secondhand landlords who rent apartments from the landlord, renovate it and re-rent it.
4. Size of the apartment?
In China, the apartments are always advertised bigger than the actual size. This is mainly because the landlords include elevator, entrance and outside space in their calculation. Always deducted 10-15% to get the real living space.
5. How much Deposit is required?
The deposit is usually 1-2 months rent. In some cases (offices, serviced apartments, or high-end properties) landlords require 3 months rent as a deposit. You will get back your deposit after your lease has ended.
Yes, it is possible, usually, you can negotiate 5-10% down. If the landlord is reluctant to lower the price, try to include Wi-Fi, new furniture or even a cleaning lady.
7. How much is the agency fee?
The agency fee depends on the city and is a one-time payment.
Shanghai: 35% of the monthly rental
Shenzhen: 50% of the monthly rental
Beijing: 1month agency fee if the rent is lower than 10k
8. Where can I find apartments or rooms in China?
If you are looking for apartments, rooms or serviced apartments, we advise you to long-press the banner below to visit www.flatinchina.com. FlatInChina is a free online platform that helps Expats to find properties in Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen.
9. Do I need to register at the local Police Station after renting an apartment?
Any foreigner, visiting or living in China, must register with the local police within 24 hours after arriving in China. If you are staying at a hotel, they will do this for you when you check in. However, when you are renting your own apartment or live in a shared apartment you need to go to the closest police station to apply for a temporary residence permit.
10. Can I terminate my housing contract?
Most landlords only agree to rent out their apartment for a minimum lease term of 1 year. If you decide to leave your apartment earlier as planned, you will lose your deposit. However, you can also try to find a new tenant to sublease your apartment and get back your full deposit.
For more information visit our Rental Guide for China.
What is FlatInChina?
As Expats ourselves we have faced the same problems when we first came to China, finding a nice apartment was such a huge fuss. Most housing agents did not speak any English and real estate website are all in Chinese. After scouting through some Chinese housing website, we have noticed that most apartments are not available or either a scam.
We have developed FlatInChinaas a free online housing platform that helps Expats to find properties in China. All agencies, as well as listing, are verified by our team before they are posted on the website, therefore we ensure you can enjoy our hassle-free stay in China. In addition, with our optimized search engine, it is easy for you to find a property that matches your budget, location and other needs.
Moreover, as a user, you dont need to register an account to contact the property owner or real estate, agent. Simply click on the property you like and scroll to the bottom to contact the landlord or agent via E-mail, WeChat or Phone.
With over 2500 available apartments in Shanghai, Beijing, and Shenzhen we ensure you will find the right place.
Visit: www.flatinchina.com or click "read more" below!
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