I. Signing of lease contract:

1. Please ask the landlord to present his/her identity certificate, property ownership transcripts, housing tax statement or real estate registration to verify that he/she is the owner or a tenant of the property. If he/she is a tenant, the original contract must be provided to prove that the property can be subleased.
2. Information of rent, such as: when to pay? Duration of the lease? The need for down payment? How much? And payment methods?
3. Is deposit needed? How much is the deposit? And when can the contract be terminated? Please note that the amount of the deposit should not exceed the sum of 2 months’ rent.
4. Who will be responsible for the payment of relative fees such as public funds, security fee, tax, and etc.?
5. Can the contract be terminated before the termination date stated on the contract? Will penalty be incurred?
6. What are the furniture and facilities provided by the landlord, and what the condition of the items. If the furniture or facility is faulty, please photograph the defect prior to rental to prevent future dispute.
7. Who will be responsible for the repair and maintenance of the furniture and facilities? Who will be responsible for the repairing expenditures?
8. Please verify with the landlord on special limitations, such as: is cooking or pet allowed? What are the penalties for violation?
9. If the landlord is staying with the tenant, please clarify the boundaries of the common area.
10. Please ensure that both parties retain a copy of the other party’s ID during signing of contract.
11. Amendments of the contract must be countersigned by both parties to prevent future disputes.
12. Each party should retain a copy of the contract after signing.
13. Is the lease contracted notarized? Who is responsible for the notarization?
14. Principles of lease: seek second opinion and compare different houses to find the suitable one for you.

II. Terms of contract:

Both parties should agree to the duration of the contract and the duration of the contract usually ranges from 6 months to 1 year depending on the location. If the lease is made through an agency, a representative from the agency must countersign the contract.

III. Commission:

The commission payable by the landlord must not exceed the amount of 1 month’s rent and the amount payable by the tenant must not exceed the amount of half month’s rent.