Renting in China: Contract, Deposit
How to sign a tenancy, protect your deposit, and get the address registered for your residence permit.
No published figure yet. The authority does not publish this cost in a form we could verify and quote, so this guide covers the procedure only: what to bring, in what order, and where it goes wrong. We will add the figures the moment there is a source for them.
In order
- Ask to see the property certificate — Confirm the person letting the flat is the person named on it.
- Get the contract in writing — Do not pay a deposit on the basis of a verbal agreement.
- Check the deposit terms in the contract — The amount, what it covers, and when it is returned should all be written down.
- Record the condition of the flat at handover — Attach the list to the contract so the deposit settlement has a reference.
- Agree the address registration in the contract — The landlord must support the registration you need for the residence permit.
- Keep the signed contract and all receipts — These are the documents that decide a dispute.
- Complete the address registration before the permit expires — Do not let the permit lapse while the registration is pending.
A tenancy in China is a written contract, and the deposit is one of its terms, not a custom you negotiate at the door. The same contract and the landlord’s cooperation decide whether your address can be registered for your residence permit. Read what you sign before you pay anything.
Before you sign anything
Ask to see the landlord’s property certificate for the flat. It shows the landlord has the right to let the property, and a tenant can ask for it before committing. Check that the name on the certificate matches the person you are dealing with. If someone else is signing, ask what authority they have and have it written into the contract. Read the contract in a language you understand, or have someone translate it for you before you sign. What is written in the contract is what will be enforced, not what was said during the viewing.
The contract and the deposit
The deposit is a term of the tenancy contract. The contract should state the deposit amount, what it covers, and the conditions under which it is returned or kept. Write down the condition of the flat and its contents at handover, and attach that list to the contract. This is your evidence when the deposit is settled at the end. Keep the signed contract and every receipt for rent and deposit. Disputes follow the contract and the deposit terms, so the paperwork is what counts.
Registering the address for your residence permit
A foreign tenant needs a registered address for the residence permit, and the landlord is part of that process. The landlord’s cooperation is not optional for you, so raise it before you sign. Ask the landlord to confirm in the contract that they will support the address registration and provide the documents needed for it. Complete the registration before the permit expires. If the landlord will not cooperate, treat that as a reason not to sign rather than a problem to solve later.
If something goes wrong
Go back to the contract first. The deposit terms and the handover list decide most disagreements about money. Keep written records of every exchange with the landlord, including messages about repairs, the deposit, and the registration. This guide is general information, not legal, tax or immigration advice. For a dispute or a permit problem, get advice from a qualified professional.
Confirm before you act
Fees and processing times change. This page was checked on 2026-10-30; confirm the current rule with the authority named in each source above before you rely on a deadline.
Last checked 2026-10-30, next review 2027-04-28. Every figure above names its source and the date it was read. This page is a guide, not legal, tax or immigration advice — confirm with the authority before acting on a deadline.