Key practical points:
• A lease should be written and registered with the authority (which may be needed for a foreigner's accommodation registration).
• The landlord must have the legal right to lease; check the title.
• The landlord may not raise rent or evict during the term except per the contract or law.
• The deposit is returned at the end after deducting agreed actual damage.
• The rented home must meet safety conditions; leasing spaces unfit for living is barred.
• Subletting needs the landlord's consent.
🏠 Property & rentals
Measures for the Administration of Commodity Housing Leasing · Yalla China
商品房屋租赁管理办法 / Measures for the Administration of Commodity Housing Leasing
Enacted: 2010-12-01 ✅ Effective: 2011-02-01
📝 Overview
Rules governing housing lease contracts: registration, tenant and landlord rights, deposit and eviction.
This is general information only, not legal advice. For your specific case, consult a licensed lawyer.
📜 The law text / key provisions
💬 Practical reading
💬 This is a general reading/opinion for orientation — not the official legal text nor legal advice.
Before renting a flat: get a written contract, confirm the landlord is the real owner (ask for the title), and register the lease, as you need it for your accommodation registration as a foreigner. Photograph the flat's condition on move-in to protect your deposit. General orientation, not legal advice.
📎 Official source
Ministry of Housing and Urban-Rural Development / mohurd.gov.cn
🕒 Updated: 16 March 2026