Recently, a number of expats have reported being told by Ziroom agents that the company will no longer be extending or signing new 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.

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: Landlords Should Offer Grace Period if Lease Expires During Outbreak

Image: John Salvino (via Unsplash)