Beijing Landlords Now Prohibited From Changing Housing Contract Terms During Lease
New draft regulations released on Jul 8 detail noteworthy changes to rental policies in the Beijing municipal area. Among other adjustments, landlords are now prohibited from changing the particulars of rental agreements during lease terms. That is welcome news for anyone who has had their rent jacked up mid-lease, or been told they need to vacate to make space for their landlord's granny pronto.
Three regulations from the Beijing Municipal Construction Committee detail these changes, the drafted “Beijing Housing Leasing Contract,” and the existing “Beijing Housing Rental Brokerage Service Contract” and “Beijing Housing Renting Brokerage Service."
The key revisions to the previous iteration (released in 2008) focus on rental terms, releasing practices, contract procedures, and room sharing.
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An outline of these changes are as follows:
- Rental Agreements: Landlords are prohibited from unilaterally increasing rent without agreement from both parties. The original lessee has priority to resign leasing agreements. No more than two people can share one bedroom. Intermediaries are now allowed to sign on lessees' behalves, providing additional clarification from 2008 regulations.
- Deposits: The draft regulations clearly define the purpose and scope of deposits, stipulating that they should pay for any property damages and the remainder should be returned to the lessee within three business days.
- Contract Procedure: Both parties must present a valid ID prior to signing contracts, and the landlord must present the original certificate of homeownership. In advance of contract termination, the landlord must notify the lessee 30 days in advance.
- Construction Standards: Landlords can’t change the internal structure of rented housing. Further requirements are placed on living spaces, as the per capita living area must be no less than 5sqm.
These changes are intended to provide additional protections for renters (addressing current areas of vulnerability) and streamline administrative requirements for landlords. While these changes are promising, details on how they will be implemented have not yet been confirmed.
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Images: Brownsville.org
