Renting an apartment in Hangzhou as a foreigner

What you need before you start

• Passport with a valid visa or residence permit. Landlords and agents will ask for a copy for the lease and for your police registration.
• A budget and a move-in date. Good homes are often rented within days, so it helps to know what you can spend and when you can sign.
• A way to pay. Most landlords accept bank transfer, Alipay or WeChat Pay. Both apps now accept many foreign bank cards.
• A rental invoice, if your employer needs one. Say so before you choose a home: not every landlord can issue an official invoice (fapiao).

Step 1: Choose an area and a budget

Start with your daily commute and, if you have children, the school run. Hangzhou is large and the metro is good, but an hour each way adds up. Typical monthly rents for a furnished two-bedroom apartment range from about ¥4,000 in Qiantang to ¥10,000–20,000 in Qianjiang New City. Our guide to the best areas to live in Hangzhou compares the main districts.

Step 2: View homes, in person or on video

If you are already in Hangzhou, plan several viewings back to back so you can compare. If you are still abroad, a live video viewing works well: ask the agent to open cupboards, run the taps, show the view from each window and walk you through the building's entrance and lifts.

Step 3: Check the home and the landlord

• Ownership: ask to see the property ownership certificate and the landlord's ID, and make sure the names match. If the person renting to you is not the owner (a "second landlord"), ask for the owner's written permission to sublet.
• The home itself: test water pressure, hot water, air conditioning and heating, appliances and the internet connection. Listen for noise from roads, construction or bars.
• The building: check the lifts, security and parking, and ask how parcels and visitors are handled.

Step 4: Negotiate and sign the lease

Most leases run for 12 months. Payment is commonly "one month's deposit, three months' rent in advance", although some landlords accept monthly or two-monthly payment. Before signing, agree in writing:

• the rent, the deposit and when each payment is due;
• which furniture and appliances stay, and who pays for repairs;
• who pays the property management fee and internet;
• what happens if you need to leave early (often you lose part or all of the deposit);
• how and when the deposit is returned.

Leases are usually in Chinese. Ask for a bilingual version or have every clause explained before you sign, and make a move-in inventory with photos of every room.

Step 5: Move in and register

Foreigners staying anywhere other than a hotel must register their address with the police within 24 hours of arrival. In Zhejiang this can now also be done online. See our step-by-step guide to police registration in Hangzhou. Then set up electricity, water, gas and internet, most of which are paid through Alipay or WeChat Pay. If you entered China on a visa to live or work here, you generally need to apply for a residence permit within 30 days of entry, and your registration record is part of that application.

What renting costs

Common mistakes to avoid

• Paying a deposit before seeing the ownership certificate.
• Signing a lease you have not had explained.
• Skipping the move-in photos, which makes deposit disputes harder later.
• Forgetting police registration, which can lead to a warning or a fine of up to ¥2,000.

Next steps

Before you sign, go through our lease and deposit checklist. Need somewhere to stay while you search? See short-term rentals and serviced apartments. For a full monthly budget, read the cost of living in Hangzhou, and for SIM cards, payments and the residence permit, use the first-week checklist.