·                               Q&A for Renting a House in China·                                

·                               Q: Is rental negotiable, can I bargain?

·                               A: Our offer is for your reference and the final rental decides on whether you have any additional requirements and how long you will live. Besides, it is up to how urgent the landlord is to lease the property and how many other potential tenants the landlord have on hand.

·                               Q: How much do I have to pay beforehand when signing a contract?

·                               A: In Guangzhou, you should deposit (two months' rental) and the first month's rental in advance. The deposit is to be refunded in full on expiry of the lease (subject to be tenant returning the property and the related equipment in good condition, and all charges that should be paid under the lease having been paid.

·                               Q: What happens if I breach my lease before its expiry date?

·                               A: The landlord will be entitled to ask for compensation normally equal to two months rental. It normally means that you will lose your deposit . But it is always worth trying to negotiate the amount of compensation with the landlord and most landlords are willing to forego claims for compensation if the tenant introduces a new tenant who takes over the lease on the same terms.

·                               Q: What happened if the landlord breaches the lease before its expiry date?

·                               A: The landlord shall refund the deposit and the tenant will be entitled to claim compensation according to the terms of the lease agreement, normally equals to two months rental

·                               Q: Can I get a short term contract for less than12 months?

·                               A: Most landlords have to renovate the property after each tenant vacates, and they also need to spend a lot of time showing the property to new tenants, consequently most landlords are reluctant to accept short term contracts . But serviced apartments can accept short term leases.

·                               Q: Do break clause and extension option clause include in my lease contract?

·                               A: As for these clauses, you should negotiate with the landlord. Usually, the landlord is most likely to regard this kind of contract as short term lease contract therefore is reluctant to accept it.

·                               Q: What are included in a fully furnished apartment?

·                               A: A fully furnished generally includes refrigerator, washing machine TV as well as living room, dining room and bedroom furniture. You can also ask the landlord to add or remove some furniture. With regard to luxury properties owned by developers, it is often possible to have all furniture changed or removed. While for common properties or where private landlords are involved there are generally less flexibility in this regard as most landlords have nowhere to store unwanted furniture.

·                               Q: What can I get included in the rent?

·                               A: some serviced apartments include water and electricity fees in the rent. Other property developers as well as some individual landlords can also include such fees like club fees, utilities, or housekeeping fees or even a car with or without a driver. What can be included in the rental fee is totally up to the agreements between tenant and landlord, but remember that all costs covered by the landlord will influence the rental fee.

·                               Q: Can I sign a lease contract or buy property even if I don't have a residence permit?

·                               A: You can both lease and buy property in Guangzhou no matter what kind of visa you have.

·                               Q: Can I get a local mortgage as a foreign citizen if I buy property in Guangzhou?

·                               A: Foreign citizens can get mortgages from the local banks but must (same as the local) present proof of their income.

·                               Q: Can I bring my pets to Guangzhou?

·                               A: You can bring your pets to Guangzhou but please notice that if you have a dog you will need a "dog license"

·                               Q: Can I receive foreign satellite TV in Guangzhou?

·                               A: Most apartments, serviced apartments and villa can receive foreign satellite TV channels.

·                               Q: What to do if I have a dispute with my landlord?

·                               A: The best way is negotiation. If you are a client of Our Company, we will do our best to mediate between you and the landlord. It is seldom only one party’s fault, therefore remember to be friendly. When a dispute occurs, if no settlement can be reached you can turn to the local court or to the Guangzhou arbitration commission. Both these solutions are time consuming and expensive. Fortunately, it is extremely rare that serious conflicts happen in our company. We do not recommend our clients to take legal action over minor disputes.

·                               Q: After signing a contract, could I ask for some additional furniture?

·                               A: In principle, we should comply with the agreement. If you have to add some furniture, you should contact us in advance. We will communicate with the landlord. However, not all landlords would meet your requirements because the contract has been signed.