Renting in China: What Landlords Won’t Tell You

TL;DR (30-second version)

Renting in China is simple once you know the game. Budget one month’s rent as deposit, expect to pay three months upfront, and set aside half a month for the agent. Read the contract even if it is in Chinese — your name and passport number must be exact. Register your address at the local police station within 24 hours of moving in; skip it and you can be fined. Film every wall on day one, and get every promise in writing.

The money part nobody explains

The classic deal is ya yi fu san (one month deposit, three months’ rent paid in advance). Some landlords now accept monthly payments. Ask. It never hurts.

Then the agent fee. Usually half a month’s rent, sometimes a full month, and always negotiable. Ask who pays before you even view the place. Some platforms bundle it into the rent. Read the listing twice.

Utilities are on top. Water, electricity, and gas are always extra. The property management fee (wuye fei) may be included in the rent or not — ask which one, and write the answer down.

One more thing: rent rises at renewal. Five to ten percent a year is common. If you plan to stay, try to lock two years or cap the increase in the contract.

Read the contract like a lawyer

The contract will be in Chinese. Fine. But check these five things before you sign:

• Your name and passport number must match your passport exactly. One wrong digit becomes a headache later.
• The termination clause. Who can break the lease, and what does it cost? If the landlord sells the place, the lease normally survives — but get that in writing.
• Pets. Many contracts forbid them. If you have a cat, ask before signing, not after.
• Subletting. Renting it out without permission is a breach of contract. Do not Airbnb it.
• The filing. After signing, the lease should be registered with the local housing authority (beian). Big platforms usually handle it. Ask your agent to confirm.

The 24-hour rule that catches expats out

Under China’s Exit-Entry Administration Law, every foreigner must register their residence at the local police station within 24 hours of moving in. This is not optional.

Your landlord should help. Many won’t volunteer. Do it yourself — it takes 30 minutes. Bring your passport, your visa or residence permit, the signed lease, and a copy of the landlord’s ID and property certificate (fangchan zheng).

You get a small registration slip. Keep it. You will need it for visa extensions and other paperwork later.

Skip the registration and you risk a fine. Just go. It is the cheapest insurance you will buy all year.

Move-in day: the 20-minute checklist

Take your phone, walk every room, and do this before the landlord leaves:

• Film everything: cracks, stains, scratches, broken switches, doors that stick.
• Test the air conditioner in both cooling and heating mode, the water heater, and the shower pressure.
• Check the fridge seals and whether the washing machine drains properly.
• Read the water, electricity, and gas meters together, and write the numbers into the contract, dated.
• List existing damage on the inventory sheet (wupin qingdan) and get both sides to sign.
• Ask about the Wi-Fi: included or not, whose name it is under, and whether it can be moved.
• Save the property manager’s number and the emergency maintenance contact.

That video is your deposit insurance. At move-out, the landlord will inspect against it. “That scratch was already there” is not an argument — a timestamped video is.

Promises only count in writing

Landlords say “no problem” a lot. It means nothing until it is written down.

Every promise — new air conditioner, repainted wall, fixed drain — goes into the contract, or at minimum into a WeChat message you can screenshot. Heard it in person? Follow up with a text: “Just confirming you will fix the drain before I move in.” If he does not correct you, that is evidence.

Pay rent through the platform or by bank transfer, never cash. Keep every receipt. If you must pay cash, get a signed one.

The deposit dispute is the most common fight on move-out. Move-in video plus signed inventory means you win. It really is that simple.

Editorial review: EasternReset Team · Snapshot: 2026-09. Found an error? Email us.