This can be a full information to hire an house, or only a room in a shared flat, in Shanghai.
Searching for an house on the web
If you’re simply landed to China and also you don’t know anyone, the quickest option to discover an house might be to verify the web sites in English language. I like to recommend Flat in China, Smart Shanghai, Craigs Listing and Inter Shanghai.
The professionals are that you just received’t should hunt for an company on the road and most fortunately you’ll take care of a landlord (or an agent) that may communicate respectable English.
Additionally, if you’re in a decent funds (lower than 3,000 RMB per thirty days, that’s about 500 USD) and also you don’t need to stay too distant from downtown, getting a room in a shared flat will likely be your solely selection.
On this case, since only a few businesses take care of “rooms” (they normally need you to hire the entire house), web is your greatest wager.
The cons are that the flats and rooms are normally dearer (that is logical as a result of the owner is aware of that he’s addressing foreigners, typically newcomers that may’t communicate Chinese language) and so they get rented quick.
Particularly for rooms in shared house, you both go to and take the room immediately or another person will. It’s irritating.
Nonetheless, for those who can communicate Chinese language or have a Chinese language buddy that’s keen that can assist you, you may as well verify on the web sites in Mandarin. Right here the preferred: Sou Fun, Bai Xing (that’s Chinese language’s Craigs Listing) and Hao Zu.
Additionally on the Chinese language web sites one of the best rooms and flats get rented quick. Nonetheless you’ll have rather more selection and the costs will likely be method cheaper.
Another choice for getting a room in a shared house
There are a number of energetic Couchsurfing teams that target Shanghai. You would join and see if there’s anyone on the lookout for a room.
On this case you could possibly suggest to him/her to affix you and look collectively for a flat. If there isn’t any those that already posted a message, you’ll be able to nonetheless submit a message your self saying “Hey, I’m on the lookout for a roommate. Anyone ?”
Why? The reason being that, for those who group up with one or two different guys which might be additionally on the lookout for a room, you guys can hire a complete house.
This has three benefits:
- You’ll have rather more selection as a result of Shanghai is stuffed with empty flats (whereas empty room in a shared house are uncommon).
- You may deal with an company (they normally solely offers with empty flats) so that you just don’t should rely solely on the web.
- You’ll get a greater deal as renting a complete house is normally cheaper (for those who discover a few roommates keen to share the hire with you).
That is how I discovered my present room. After two weeks of nugatory calls and emails to those that have been renting rooms in shared flats, I teamed up with two different guys (yup, I met then on Couchsurfing).
We walked to an company in Jing An, requested for an house in downtown with three bedrooms and a hire beneath 7,000 RMB (for the entire house) and acquired it in two days.
Searching for an house by means of an company
Even if some brokers can’t communicate English, lots of them will. Keep in mind that you’re in Shanghai, not in a small Tibetan village!
On this case your greatest wager is to decide on the zone the place you need to stay (Jing An as an example) and begin to stroll round until you discover an company. There are many businesses so that you shouldn’t have issues to seek out a few them.
Then ask for an house with the traits you need (keep in mind to specify your funds).
The agent will in all probability begin by displaying you an house that doesn’t respect your funds. The reason being that they work on fee. So if he can persuade you to get an house a bit dearer, he’ll earn a barely increased fee.
Don’t freak out. Keep in mind that you’re in China : )
Be well mannered however rigid. Inform him once more what’s your funds and that you just received’t settle for something dearer than that. Nonetheless keep in mind to be practical: discover a respectable room in downtown for lower than 2,000 RMB/month is not possible.
Don’t overlook to cut price the worth. That is broadly accepted in China and normally you’re going to get some small low cost (inside 1% and 10% based on your cut price abilities).
One other tactic fairly widespread utilized by the brokers is to start out by bringing you to a really shitty house. They know you received’t take it. They’re simply making an attempt to scare you in order that, after you see two or three flats that look disgusting, you may be comfortable to hire an house that’s simply so so. Don’t fall for it.
If an agent brings you to a really unhealthy house, inform him that you really want one thing higher. If the second flat is like the primary, simply inform him to fuck off and stroll away.
There are many sincere businesses so there isn’t any cause to take care of somebody that’s making an attempt to tear you off.
What are the bills beside the month-to-month hire (safety deposit, company charge, electrical energy and so forth)
In Shanghai you must pay the hire each month or, at worst, each two months. Additionally, you’ll have to pay a safety deposit. Remember that the owner might ask you for a two or three months hire deposit. Nonetheless you shouldn’t settle for to pay an amount of cash increased than one month of hire as a deposit.
Personally I’d stroll away if somebody insists to need multiple month deposit as that is the usual.
While you discover an house that you just like, you need to “block” it. Because of this it’s important to anticipate a small amount of cash. Our landlord requested 2,000 RMB to us however we solely gave him 900 RMB (our hire is 7,000 per thirty days). In trade, he gave us a signed receipt.
The day after we got here again to the house and, after we checked that every part was working (air cons, scorching water and so forth), we signed the contract and paid two months hire + one month deposit (all in money, welcome to China!).
We additionally paid a fee to the agent, which corresponded to 35% of 1 month hire. If the agent ask for extra simply inform him that 35% is the usual charge (I counsel you to ask what the company’s charge is earlier than you begin to verify flats).
Normally you’ll have to pay the electrical energy, water, gasoline and web payments. The entire quantity shouldn’t be greater than 400 RMB/month. So if you’re three folks it’s about 130 RMB/month every.
When you stay in an enormous constructing there will likely be some upkeep charges (which can differ however normally it’s round 100-200 RMB/month). Our landlord pays it by himself, however some landlord will ask you to additionally pay this charge. Once more, it’s as much as you to cut price.
Why you want a daily contract
There are two causes.
First in any respect, as quickly as you arrive in China you’re required to go to police station and register your deal with.
If you’re a vacationer or you’re residing in a college students’ dorm you don’t want to fret about it as a result of the lodge’s or the dorm’s supervisor will register you on the nearest police station.
Nonetheless, for those who hire an house, you should do it your self. It solely takes 5 minutes and also you don’t want to talk any Chinese language. Nonetheless you should deliver the unique copy of your own home contract and your passport (you additionally must deliver a replica of the contract, of the passport’s first web page and of passport’s Visa web page).
Up to now years this wasn’t that vital. Nonetheless since this 12 months the police is placing a whole lot of consideration on deal with registration. When you don’t register your deal with, they’ll name the quantity that you just gave on the customs the day you entered China. When you don’t reply, they’ll simply begin to search for you.
Once more, it simply takes 5 minutes. However you do want a daily home contract. Additionally, you must ask to your agent or landlord the place is the police station since you solely can register on the station that’s answerable for your zone.
The second cause for which you want a contract is that you could’t totally belief your landlord. What are you going to do if, after three months that you just rented the house, your landlord decides to rise the worth of your flat?
You probably have a daily contract, you simply inform him to close up or you’ll go to speak with the police. However for those who don’t have any contract you don’t personal any proper to remain there.
Additionally, how are you going to get again your safety deposit? This isn’t your nation. So simply play it protected and ask for a contract.
How ought to the contract appears like?
- First in any respect, the home contract must be in English or each in English and Chinese language languages. Don’t signal any contract in Chinese language for those who don’t communicate the language.
- The title of the owner must be within the contract. I’d additionally ask to see his ID card and get a replica of it.
- The deal with of the house must be on the contract.
- The month-to-month hire charge, the deposit charge and the hire scheduling (each month or each two months) must be on the contract.
- The length of the contract must be specified. And by the way in which, the length can also be one thing that you could cut price.
- The contract ought to states that the owner is accountable to repair main damages (like a damaged fridge or aircon).
- The contract ought to state that, within the case the owner asks you to stay earlier than the top of the contract, he ought to pay a penalty (at the very least one month hire).
The commonest scams whereas renting an house in China
- Learn your contract and verify that every part I discussed is written there. If it’s not written, it doesn’t exist. And you don’t have any energy to implement the owner to respect his phrase.
- Get a receipt for something you pay. I do know it appears apparent, however there are nonetheless those that overlook to ask for it.
- Don’t settle for to pay greater than a month hire deposit. Something increased than that feels like a rip-off to me.
- When you don’t need to use an company, keep away from to signal a contract with a landlord that doesn’t stay within the house (or subsequent door). Additionally, keep away from intermediaries! The issue is that they may simply run away together with your cash. And this doesn’t solely occur with Chinese language intermediaries.
In late 2011 eighty folks have been scammed by Ryan Fedoruk, a Canadian man that sublet thirty flats in Shanghai after which flew away with the cash (300,000 RMB).
So, both you go along with an company (and verify if the company is legit by visiting its workplace) or belief the owner (as a result of he’ll stay with you or subsequent door).
The place to stay in Shanghai for those who care about your social life
Many individuals will select their location in an effort to be near their workplace or college. Nonetheless different folks favor to stay in downtown to allow them to have a greater social life (do not forget that Shanghai is large). I’m one of many latter.
First in any respect, you must search for an house near a subway station. Shanghai subway system is very large (the longest on the planet) so you’ll be able to go just about all over the place with it (here you find an interactive map). Additionally, it’s fairly low-cost.
Particularly, I recommendation you to stay alongside the subway line 2 (the inexperienced one), which crosses all Shanghai from East to West. It will normally permits you to attain any a part of the town with solely considered one of two modifications (and infrequently with out modifications in any respect).
The most effective locations to stay are, for my part, between Nanjing East Station and Zhong Shan Park Station. Most of bars & golf equipment are positioned on the previous French concession, that’s on the South of those stations. However it’s not solely about nightlife, I like this zone as a result of it remembers me of an European city, with a whole lot of tiny alleys, small eating places and previous cafés.
Remember that the flats contained in the French concession are both bloody costly or fairly previous. When you nonetheless need to stay downtown and get a contemporary flat however, on the identical time, you have got a small funds, then I counsel you to take a look at the North facet of the road 2.
Generally Zhong Shan Park and Jangsu Highway are cheaper than Jing An, Nanjing West or Individuals Sq. (verify the map of the road 2 for those who really feel a bit misplaced).
Incessantly requested questions
What’s the typical house hire in Shanghai?
The common hire for a 1-bedroom house within the metropolis middle is round 6,800 RMB (1,000 US {dollars}), whereas you’ll find flats for half that worth outdoors of the town middle.
How a lot does an house price in Shanghai?
These days, you’ll discover many flats that fetch for as a lot as 80,000 – 130,000 RMB (12,000 – 18,000 US {dollars}) per sq. meter within the central areas, and even near surrounding districts, like Minhang. Shanghai isn’t your cup of tea for those who search for funding properties and excessive yields, however primarily if you wish to purchase out of private causes.
What’s housing like in Shanghai?
Having travelled round Europe, I can simply say that the general normal is decrease in comparison with Western international locations. Flats are smaller and the standard of amenities typically worse. When you plan to share a daily unit, you should get accustomed to see a few cockroaches occasionally.
Mould points aren’t hardly ever heard of (even in expat lodging) and also you shouldn’t take with no consideration that the owner will aid you to resolve these sort of points.
How can I hire a luxurious house in Shanghai?
When you transfer as an expat, your organization would possibly work with brokers in China (like my previous firm) and might give you the proper contacts.
Picture Credit: 
A Shanghai skyline by David Almeida