Renting an apartment in Shenzhen: 21 questions expats ask most

Yes. You can view in person, or take a live video tour if you are still abroad. Tell us which times work for you and we will arrange it with an English-speaking agent who shows you the layout, the building and the real walk to the metro. Nothing is committed until you have seen the place.

可以。你可以实地看房；如果还在国外，我们可以安排实时视频带看。告诉我们合适的时间，我们安排讲英文的顾问带你了解户型、楼栋情况以及真正走到地铁站的距离。看过之后再决定，不需要提前承诺。

Most of them are. Our furnished apartments in Shenzhen come with a bed, wardrobe, sofa, air conditioning, water heater and washing machine, and most can be connected to internet on move-in day, so you only need bedding and kitchen basics. If you would rather use your own furniture, ask us to shortlist unfurnished units.

大部分是。全配公寓包含床、衣柜、沙发、空调、热水器和洗衣机，多数房源入住当天即可开通网络，你只需自备床上用品和基础厨具。如果你想用自己的家具，可以让我们筛选简装空房。

We focus on Nanshan, Futian and Bao’an, the three districts where most foreign professionals in Shenzhen end up living. Nanshan covers Shekou, Houhai and Shenzhen Bay; Futian is the CBD and civic centre; Bao’an has newer buildings at lower rents and is 20 to 30 minutes from the airport by metro.

我们主营南山、福田、宝安，也是深圳外籍上班族最集中的居住区域。南山包括蛇口、后海、深圳湾；福田是CBD和市民中心一带；宝安楼龄更新、租金更低，坐地铁20–30分钟可到机场。

Some landlords accept 3 to 6 month leases, but a 12-month contract is the norm and short lets usually carry a 10 to 20 percent premium. Serviced apartments are the most reliable choice under six months. If you are on a project rotation, send us the exact dates and we will only show landlords who have already agreed to a short stay.

部分业主接受3–6个月短租，但常规合同是12个月，短租租金通常上浮10–20%。半年以内最稳妥的是服务式公寓。如果你是项目派驻，把确切日期发给我们，我们只带你看已经同意短租的业主。

A small number. Compound rules matter more than the landlord’s personal opinion, so we check both before showing you anything. Where pets are accepted, expect a pet deposit and a written clause in the contract. Tell us the type and size of your pet in your first message and we will filter listings accordingly.

有少量房源可以。小区的规定比业主个人态度更关键，所以带看之前我们会两边都确认。允许养宠的房源通常要收宠物押金，并在合同里写明条款。第一次沟通时告诉我们宠物的种类和体型，我们据此筛选。

A valid passport is the only document you legally need to sign a lease in Shenzhen. If you hold a work visa, landlords also ask for your residence permit; students add an enrolment letter and employees add an employment letter. A Chinese ID or local guarantor is not a legal requirement, although an individual landlord may ask for one.

外国人在深圳签租赁合同，法律上只需要有效护照。持工作签证的租客，业主还会要看居留许可；学生补充在读证明，在职人士补充在职证明。中国身份证或本地担保人不是法定要求，但个别业主会提出。

Yes, it is mandatory. Every foreign national staying in China must complete temporary accommodation registration within 24 hours of moving in, at the police station that covers your address. Hotels report it automatically; in a rented flat you do it yourself with your passport, visa and lease. We go with you the first time and keep the receipt, because visa renewals and residence permits require it.

必须办。所有外籍人士在华居住，都要在入住24小时内到辖区派出所完成境外人员住宿登记。住酒店由酒店自动申报；租房要本人带护照、签证和租赁合同去办。第一次我们会陪同，并留存登记凭证，因为续签签证和办居留许可都要用。

Yes. A signed tenancy contract plus the police registration slip is the standard proof of address for a work permit or residence permit application in Shenzhen. Some employers also ask for a copy of the property certificate and the landlord’s ID. Check your employer’s exact checklist first, and we will prepare the rental documents to match it.

可以。已签署的租赁合同加上派出所住宿登记凭证，就是深圳办理工作许可或居留许可时标准的住宿证明。部分雇主还会要求房产证复印件和业主身份证。先跟雇主确认清单，我们按清单准备租赁文件。

Our standard contract is bilingual, Chinese and English, so you can read every clause before you sign. The Chinese text is the legally binding version in a dispute, which is exactly why the English column has to be accurate rather than a rough summary. Russian and French explanations are available on request.

我们提供中英双语合同，签约前你可以读完全部条款。发生争议时以中文文本为准，所以英文对照必须准确，不能只写个大概。需要时也可以提供俄语、法语讲解。

Landlord and tenant each keep one signed original, and we keep a scanned copy on file. Store yours somewhere you can find it, because you need it for police registration, for opening a bank account and sometimes for a school application. If it goes missing we can usually arrange a replacement signature.

业主和租客各持一份签署原件，我们留存扫描件。请把原件放在随时能找到的地方，因为住宿登记、开银行账户、部分学校申请都会用到。万一遗失，我们通常可以协调补签。

The standard is one month’s rent as a tenancy deposit plus one month’s rent in advance, so your first payment is two months’ rent. Some landlords ask for two months’ deposit; with an employment letter this is often negotiable back to one. Clients arriving from the UAE often expect post-dated cheques, which is not how Shenzhen works, so budget the full amount upfront.

深圳常规是押金1个月租金，加预付首月租金，首次合计两个月租金。也有业主要求押二，凭在职证明通常可以谈回押一。从阿联酋过来的客户常以为可以开远期支票，深圳不是这种做法，首期款需要一次付清。

A Chinese bank account with a local transfer is what landlords prefer, and WeChat Pay or Alipay work once the account is open. Clients from the US, UK and Singapore often pay the first instalment from abroad by Wise or an international wire; some landlords accept that in advance, others do not. We confirm the accepted method before you sign, so nothing is a surprise on move-in day.

业主最接受国内银行卡本地转账；开户之后微信、支付宝也可以。美国、英国、新加坡的客户常用Wise或跨境电汇支付首期，部分业主接受提前跨境付款，部分不接受。签约前我们会确认可用方式，避免入住当天才发现付不了。

Yes, if the landlord is registered to issue one. A rent invoice is what your company needs for reimbursement, and the landlord usually pays a small amount of tax to issue it, so some pass that cost on and some refuse outright. Tell us at the enquiry stage if you need a fapiao and we will only shortlist landlords who can provide it.

可以，前提是业主能开。公司报销需要租金发票，开票业主通常要缴一小笔税，有的会把税费转嫁，有的直接不配合。如果必须要发票，请在询盘阶段就说明，我们只筛选能开票的业主。

Rent is paid monthly in advance, on the date written into the contract, which is usually the move-in anniversary. Most tenants set a standing transfer from their Chinese bank account two or three days early, since late payment can trigger a penalty clause. Timing, penalty and receipt all belong in the contract, so read that clause before signing.

租金按月预付，交租日期写在合同里，通常就是入住日对应的每月同一天。多数租客会提前两三天从国内银行卡设置自动转账，因为逾期可能触发违约条款。付款时间、违约金和收据都要写进合同，签字前先看清这一条。

In almost every Shenzhen rental the tenant pays electricity, water, gas and internet, while the property management fee is covered by the landlord. Two things to check: whether electricity is billed at the residential or the commercial rate, and whether the management fee is genuinely included. We mark both on every listing page.

深圳租房绝大多数情况是租客承担水电燃气和网络，物业费由业主承担。要确认两点：电费按居民电价还是商业电价计（商业电价夏天可能接近翻倍），以及物业费是否真的包含在内。每套房源详情页我们都会标注。

Message us first instead of arranging your own repair. We contact the landlord, agree who pays, and send a technician, usually within 48 hours for anything that affects daily life. Do not approve paid work yourself: without prior agreement the cost can be deducted from your deposit, and a receipt in the landlord’s name is what protects you.

先联系我们，不要自己找人修。我们对接业主确认由谁承担，再安排师傅上门，影响日常生活的通常48小时内处理。不要自行同意付费维修：未经事先约定，费用可能在退房时从押金里扣；维修单据要开业主的名字，才保护得了你。

Not without written permission from the landlord. That covers paint, wallpaper, drilling into structural walls, changing fixtures and adding appliances that alter the wiring. Small reversible changes are usually fine if you ask first and restore the original condition before you leave; anything unapproved can be charged against your deposit at move-out.

没有业主书面同意不行。包括刷漆、贴墙纸、在承重墙上打孔、更换固定设施、加装改动线路的电器。小的可恢复改动一般没问题，但要事先征求同意，退租前恢复原状；未经同意的改动，退房时会从押金里扣。

Short visits are fine and need no paperwork. If a foreign guest stays more than 24 hours, they must complete their own accommodation registration at the local police station; that is a legal requirement rather than a building rule, and it is checked at visa renewal. For longer stays, add the person to the lease or ask us for advice.

短期来访没问题，不需要办手续。如果有外籍访客留宿超过24小时，访客本人要去辖区派出所单独办理住宿登记，这是法律要求而不仅是小区规定，续签时会核查。长期同住建议写进合同，或先问我们怎么处理。

After the move-out inspection, provided there is no damage beyond normal wear and tear and all utility bills are settled, the landlord refunds the tenancy deposit within the period stated in the contract, commonly 3 to 7 days. Get that deadline and the refund account written in, and keep dated photos from move-in day: they settle most arguments.

退房查验之后，如果无非正常损坏、水电等费用结清，业主按合同约定的期限退还押金，通常是3–7天。把退款期限和收款账户写进合同，并保留入住当天带日期的照片，大多数争议靠这些照片就能说清。

Yes, but the penalty clause decides the cost. Most Shenzhen contracts require one to two months’ notice and forfeit part or all of the tenancy deposit if you leave before the term ends. If your employer may relocate you, ask for a transfer or diplomatic clause before signing. Talk to us early: landlords are more flexible with 60 days’ notice and a replacement tenant.

可以，但代价由违约条款决定。深圳多数合同要求提前1–2个月通知，未到期退租会扣掉部分或全部押金。如果公司可能调你走，签约前争取加一条调职或外交条款。尽早跟我们说，提前60天通知并找到接手租客，业主通常更好谈。

Damage beyond normal wear and tear: broken furniture, cracked glass, holes in walls, burnt worktops, blocked pipes from improper use, missing keys or remotes. Faded paint, worn floors, loose hinges and small scuffs from ordinary living are normal wear and should not be deducted. Ask for an itemised list with receipts before accepting any deduction.

超出正常损耗的损坏：家具破损、玻璃开裂、墙面打孔、台面烫伤、使用不当造成管道堵塞、钥匙或遥控器丢失。墙面褪色、地板磨损、合页松动、日常磕碰属于正常损耗，不应扣押金。任何扣款都要先索取逐项清单和凭证。