No Basis for Ziroom to Refuse Rentals to Foreigners: What to Do

Original Joey Knotts theBeijinger 2020-03-31

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Recently, a number of expats have reported being told by Ziroom agents that the company will no longer be extending or signing new to foreigners during the coronavirus situation. The Beijinger was able to confirm that the apartment rental giant has not been subject to any official policy to that effect, but rather, some individual communities and landlords have made it prohibitively difficult for the company’s agents to secure new housing contracts for foreigners.

According to the head of Ziroom’s international department, Jack Balavadze, foreigners should have no trouble extending their contracts with Ziroom.

Balavadze says that his department staff is working around the clock to help out Ziroom’s foreign tenants through the pandemic, and that, fortunately, things seem to be improving as both communities and officials are starting to soften policies in all respects.

He also emphasizes that the company is able to freely rent out the apartments in its Jiangtai-located building, which it owns outright.

However, enough foreigners are still being denied contracts that renters should be aware of the issue and be prepared to seek out alternatives should the need arise.
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Why foreigners may face troubles when renting an apartment

On Mar 15, the Beijing Municipal Committee of Housing and Construction released a notice advising landlords who rent out apartments on how to ensure safety when signing a contract with a new lessee. The notice advised that new lessees should provide proof of health via the Beijing Jiankangbao app, but in a slight oversight, the notice neglected to provide an alternative for foreign tenants, who are currently unable to log into the app without a Chinese ID number.

In addition, contracts must be valid for a minimum of six months and must be registered with the Beijing Commission on Housing and Urban-Rural Development, which may yield extra hoops for lessers to jump through.
Where else to rent an apartment

If an agent or landlord decides that it’s too much trouble to rent to you, there’s only one thing to do: move on.

Consider using some of the following resources to find an apartment instead:

Read our comprehensive guide to everything you need to know about renting in Beijing, which covers everything from useful vocab for when you're house hunting, reputable moving companies for hire, and even tips on whether you'd better suit a hutong home or a high-rise.
Find an apartment in the Beijinger classifieds section. Browse through hundreds of apartments, updated daily, and filter by location, price range, number of bedrooms and more. Alternatively, connect with people looking for roommates in Beijing, here.
Try your luck with alternative apps like Wellcee and Lianjia (click here for a guide on how to use the Lianjia app).
Ask around for Beijing apartment rental groups. In addition to finding ads for apartments, these groups can be a good place to find independent agents who will be able to find an apartment that can meet your needs.