Imagine moving to a new country, like China, and then going house-hunting after you have arrived. You will realize that you are completely lost! You wouldn’t know where to begin! It is a well-known fact that if you want to do anything properly in China, you undeniably need to have a basic knowledge of the language. Or your translator app must be spot on. Or you must have a great and supportive Chinese friend. However, you cannot just pack him/her up along with the rest of your luggage when you move to a different city later though, right? Therefore, here are some tips on accommodation-hunting in China. You can get it right in a few attempts!
Step 1: Know what you want
The majority of the international students in China prefer to live outside the campus, renting apartments in groups (shared apartments) or alone (live with Chinese or rent studio apartments). Most often, budget constraints will be the focus in these cases. If you are in China to work at a company or an educational institution, your employer generally provides you with accommodation. Nevertheless, there are few instances when this may not happen and you are on your own (the employer will typically provide you with the accommodation subsidy). And you will be required to find a roof over your head within a narrow time frame. In this scenario, it is advised that you make a list of all that you are looking for in your apartment before you arrive in China.
The major questions you should ask yourself in this step would be: What is your budget? Which part of the city would you want to live in – near the city center (expensive, older apartments) or closer to the outskirts (cheaper apartments)? Would you like to live in apartment areas with a lot of foreigners living inside? How many rooms should be there? What are your criteria for cleanliness? Fully furnished? Is there ample transportation to your place of work or study? Once you have established your requirements, you are good to proceed to the next step.
Step 2: The Search……….
This is the most time-consuming step of all, obviously! The best way to search for apartments would be to ask someone you know who has already settled down in an apartment. This won’t always be fruitful, but it can help you a long way in your house hunting; they can help you talk to their landlords or agents. If so, you would have saved much time.
If not, the next best method would be to go online. There are plenty of websites that provide details on apartments for rent. Bear in mind that many of the apartments you see on such sites may already have been rented out. Nonetheless, you will still be able to get the contacts of agents (“中介”- zhōngjiè) from these sites. Many apartment ads can be from the landlords themselves (“个人”- gèrén; these must be your first choices, since talking to landlords directly saves you the agent fee you will have to pay otherwise). Given below are a few websites where you can see and search for apartments in China:
• www.58.com
• https://www.5i5j.com
• www.qk365.com
• www.anjuke.com
• http://www.ganji.com/zhaofang/
• www.hoxiao.com
• http://www.house365.com/
• www.fang.com
All these websites are in Chinese. You will either need to translate them with Google translate or ask help from your Chinese friends. Remember to choose the city correctly before you begin the search.
An alternative would be for you to go in person to these agencies (like 5i5j). In every community, there are real-estate agency offices (near the main gates) that offer services to foreigners as well. The major issue here would be the language barrier. It is advised you learn the basic phrases required in house hunting if you decide to go to these agents. Even if you search online and find the right house, the next step is still talking to those agents who advertised the apartment online and you will essentially have to speak in 汉语 (Hànyǔ – Chinese) lest things become challenging. A translator app can help you a long way. There is normally a particular amount of service fee for these agents’ services (ranges from half to full amount of your one month’s rent). Inquire and confirm the agent fee before you proceed. You can also try to negotiate the price down for the apartment since they frequently give higher than normal prices for foreigners. The agents will talk to the landlord and let you know if it worked!
Home-staying websites such as Airbnb is yet another option for foreigners in China. However, the regulations regarding such housings are quite strict in the mainland. Airbnb is usually an option for those who travel to China on tourist visas and are looking to stay a month at most in one place.
Step 3: The Contract 合同
So you have found your dwelling place finally. The next step is signing the contract with the landlord/agency. Now, contracts for accommodation in China will all too often come in Chinese. Go through the contract terms thoroughly. You must use a translator (app or person) if it is your first time renting an apartment in China. Check for the specific parts which stipulate the duration of your stay in that house, rent amount, how it is to be paid (every 3-month, 6-month or every year), and readings on water, electricity and gas meters (also make sure the price per unit for these utilities). There will be two copies of the contract, one for the landlord and one for yourself, make sure both of them are filled in and signed the same way. You will also be asked to pay at the same time the property management fee (for a year) if your contract is written for a year or more. Get the receipt for this. If you pay the agent fee, get the receipt for it as well. Do not let any additional fees or expenses that are not on the paper come your way.
Step 4: Temporary Residence Permit
Once you have signed the contract, the next step will be to register at the nearest police station for your temporary residence permit. This is an absolutely inevitable step. All foreigners in China are required by law to register at the nearest police stations within 24hrs of moving residences within the mainland (or arrival in China). If you stayed at a hotel upon arrival, the hotel staff will do this for you. But once you move out of the hotel and into an apartment or accommodation, you must re-register. In short, any time you move, you must register. It is easier at present since you can do this on your WeChat App. Depending on the city you are in, there will be associated official accounts for these ‘police business’; you can always just drop at the nearest police station in person too. Remember, if you don’t do this step, you will have to face related punishments that can range from paying a huge amount of money as fine to getting your visa canceled!
Piece of Advice for Newcomers
If you are new in China and if you are a student, it’s advised you stay in the dormitory at least for the first year to get a better understanding of the city, living areas, apartment prices in different parts of the city, etc. Otherwise, you may end up regretting your decision to live outside. If you do have someone who is already accustomed to all these, seek help. Do not try to do it on your own! If you are here to work, stay in the apartment provided by your company/school. This will save you unnecessary expenses. If the accommodation is not to your liking, you can move out later on.
Learn basic Chinese to communicate lest you get ripped off dealing with agents or landlords. Even if it may seem difficult, go through the contract. Seek the help of a Chinese friend or scan the contract and translate it using a Google or Baidu translator. Be aware of the prices (rental) of the rooms in each estate or area – ask around. Do not make hasty decisions.
