Dealing with landlords in China

We all know that moving apartments is a hassle. The packing, the looking, and the big wad of cash it takes to move into your new place. 

But probably the hardest part is negotiating with your new landlord. Not to mention trying to get your bond back from the last one. 

Some landlords can come across as demonically possessed. Each visit is a floor inspection that ends with them showing you where the floor varnish is kept. It makes you dream of stuffing that crinkled contract down their throat while screaming “I know it’s in that bloody cupboard!” 

Others are rigid cold robots who will offer you the perfect place albeit on the dirty side. You sign the contract, ask for a clean, and BAM! Too late! You didn’t add a free clean into the contract. 

In all fairness, there are some amazing landlords. “What’s that? Your air conditioning needs a new filter? Is this afternoon a good time? Great.” However, I’ve only heard stories.

Before moving in, it’s wise to find any faults with the apartment.

Point them all out and insist they are fixed. Many landlords might be desperate for tenants, so push the boundaries.

If the place is dirty, insist on a cleaner before signing the contract. If the sofa is old, ask for a new one. Ask for new air conditioning, for a new TV, for a different bed. The sky’s the limit! If you don’t ask, you don’t get. It’s an investment for them, not a loss. Remember that. 

Unfortunately, if you're a woman and your landlord is a Chinese man, getting that bond back is going to be much harder. 

It’s a harsh truth and there’s not much you can change in the face of his lifetime of misogyny.

It helps getting a male friend in to grease the pole, so to speak.  He’ll probably find it a bit creepy being asked on every meeting if he likes Chinese girls, but it could just be that little bit of difference. 

Alternatively, I had one landlord who insisted that if we drank baijiu together, I would get my bond back. I’ll have you know it was a pleasant evening. 

Some standard advice is to thoroughly read through your contract. 

If you can’t read Chinese, find someone who can translate it for you. Some apps are good at this, but two whole pages of Chinese legal jargon translated by increments won’t offer much more than “Rear faucet leakage not responsible.” 

Even doing a thorough reading of your contract isn’t a guarantee to being armed for settling disputes. 

Though something may be written in your contract such as: "Any damage caused to this property by external natural powers is NOT the responsibility of the tenant."

One incident could be the changing water density in the foundations of your apartment causing windows to crack and even shatter. It’s simply a hope that your landlord will believe you.

They’ll employ disaster capitalism tactics to squeeze your sorry ass for more money. So yes, read through your contract, but no, don't expect it to save you a loss on your bond. 

If there are issues, why not go through the housing agency? I hear you saying. 

In most cases, your housing agent is really their housing agent. When the bread getting cut whose side do you think they’ll be on?

The one solid piece of advice I can offer is to hold your ground. There may be damage that you were not responsible for.

Your landlord might not even be acknowledging the screaming piece of evidence you’re putting in front of their face. Like any experienced criminal they’ll stick to the golden rule: deny, deny, deny. But don't lose heart. The key is perseverance.

Taking legal action over minor disputes isn’t advised. 

Who knows who they know. Chinese  “guanxi” works in mysterious ways. Being in that court room could be like being the first to pass out at a college party. Unless you’ve put down a hefty bond, then I doubt it’ll be worth the legal costs.

As a last resort, remember that everything is negotiable. 

They may be attempting to fully claim your bond over something you didn’t have a part in. Be tenacious! You can probably find a middle ground. By middle ground, I mean both parties come off unhappy. 

However, if you get nowhere and your landlord leaves you with nothing but a headache and an empty pocket, then there’s just one last option: find a discreet corner of the apartment (perhaps behind a shelf or under the bed) and throw a small fish there then move on. 

Theo Holmes comes from New Zealand. He has lived in China for two years. You can also write for NihaoSuzhou. Contact us at [e-mail]. 

If you have any question to ask or want to share your story, tap on Read more (写留言) at the right bottom of this page.

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