8 tips on renting an apartment in Chaoyang Beijing

8 tips on renting an apartment in Chaoyang Beijing

I have relocated to Beijing for a business assignment . I’ve learnt that renting an apartment in Beijing is not easy, especially if you’re new to the capital. Chinese is my second language, and while I am able to converse using simple terms, negotiating in Chinese was very challenging. This post is specific to renting an apartment in the Chaoyang Beijing district of Beijing, China. Mostly expat parents with a generous expat package that covers housing in Beijing.As an expats, I had a limited budget but wanted to stay as close to office as possible. Hence, I had to make some tough decisions. Here are 8 tips on renting an apartment in Beijing Chaoyang Beijing.

About renting in Beijjing Chaoyang 

Eastern and northeastern areas, namely Chaoyang District and Dongcheng District are popular with expats. This is where the foreign embassies, high end shopping and restaurants and luxury apartments and offices are found. The Shunyi District is also popular with expat families in particular, away from the hustle and bustle of the city center and a common location for many international schools.

I heard from my colleagues and friends  that Beijing rental conditions tend to be similar throughout the city. First, if you engage an agent, you will have to be prepared to pay a month’s of rental as agent fee. Second, the expectation is for you to pay a month’s deposit and three month’s of rent in advance when you sign the contract. Hence, be prepared to cough out your monthly rental x 5 when you sign the contract and get the keys. Third, the agent fee is negotiable.

Why I engaged an agent

I had arrived in Beijing later that the rest of my peers, and was in dire need to find an apartment soon. I was staying at a hotel and the thought of the cost adding up was somewhat discomforting. I also wanted a place to settle down and most importantly, a place with a decent Wifi connection as a means of connecting with people back at home.

I thought an agent could help me identify specific home listings quickly. In addition, foreigners have to register at the local police station within 24 hours of signing the contract. Hence I thought that the agent would be useful in helping with such administrative procedures.

8 tips on renting an apartment in Beijing Chaoyang Beijing

1. If you don’t speak Mandarin fluently, try to get a friend to help with the negotiations

If you’re not super familiar with the Chinese language, get a friend to help you. I think the landlords and agents tend to charge foreigners a slight premium in general, so don’t feel too bad if your rental is slightly higher compared to a local.

2. Don’t give the impression that you want to close the deal as soon as possible

Upon reflection, I made the mistake of telling my agent and his colleague that I was staying at a hotel while house-searching. I first met with my agent’s colleague to view the apartments as he was not available. On the same day, I made a decision to rent the apartment. On hindsight, it wasn’t a good idea as the commission from my rental contract was split between two agents. Subsequently, it was harder to negotiate on the agent fee (see point 6).

3. Establish what is included and provided by the landlord, and what isn’t

When viewing the apartment, ask as many questions as you can. In the rental contract I signed, it said that all water, hot water (yes that’s charged separately), electricity and Wifi costs are to be born by me. (In my apartment, it works by charging and scanning a prepaid card). The only parts that are born by the agent are the defects to the appliances due to wear and tear, and heating.

4. When house-visiting, check the water pressure in the shower, defects in furniture, cleanliness and quality of furnishings in the room thoroughly

apartment Chaoyang Beijing  rental

Some photos of an apartment taken when I went house viewing. The furnishings in this was pretty good.

I realize the smallest things really affect one’s quality of living. I’m really glad that the earlier tenant for my apartment was relatively neat and clean. When cleaning out the room and furniture, it would have been quite a bummer if everything was filthy. I was also glad that my stove and washing machine worked fine (for now) .