Here Q&A

Welcome to our Q&A section, find all your answers here, from payments, rental terms, check-in to moving out. Feel free to contact us on WeChat or by email if anything is missing.

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Agency Service Fee

Our agency service fee is set at 35% commission of the first rental month (e.g. if rent is CNY10,000, our service fee will be CNY3,500, CNY15,000 = 5,250, CNY20,000 = CNY7,000, etc.).

The commission fee is a one-time fee to be paid at the start of the lease and includes the following services: visiting the options, negotiation with the landlord, drafting the lease contracts, doing the check-in and doing the check-out.

Breach

In the event of breaching the lease contract by the tenant(s), please note the following:

Security Deposit: the security deposit will be kept by the landlord in most cases.
Notice Period: try to notice as early as possible the landlord to increase your chance of taking back a fraction of your security deposit.
Replacement: in the event of early termination, finding a replacement for your lease contract may result in taking part or all your security deposit. Always try to find a replacement in all case to reduce your security deposit loss.

Check in & Check out

The check-in and check-out are critical moments during your stay with Here Real-Estate agency. During the check-in, our team of local agents will be here to accompany you in this process.

Few tips for the check-in: take pictures and videos to avoid future litigations with the landlord when the check-out time comes. Same goes during the check-out: take pictures and videos to avoid extra litigation with the landlord after the check-out.

Please note that all outstanding amounts will be deducted from the security deposit such as: utilities fees, unpaid rent amount, unpaid service fee, etc.

Cleaning Services

We are offering cleaning services in collaboration with our local partners. Cleaning services are usually billed by the hour with a flexible approach: 2 hours/week, 4 hours/week, etc.

The cleaning company will send a cleaning person fully equipped with all the necessary cleaning products and tools, the cleaning agent can also use the clients products when requested.

Cleaning services can also be booked as a one-time service when requested by our clients. Cleaning services can be booked up to 24 hours in advance.

First Installment

The first installment is the first rental payments made to the landlord, the first installment corresponds on average to one (1) to three (3) months rental costs. Always make sure to have enough funds to pay the first installment in full and in time to the landlord to avoid paying penalty fees and / or loose the accommodation.

Landlord

Having a good relationship with your landlord is fundamental to mitigate any potential litigations at one stage or another. Always pay the rent in due time, keep the accommodation in the same conditions you received it, respect your neighbors, etc. A good relationship with your landlord will always be fruitful, especially in case of lease contract renewal to renegotiate your lease terms (rent amount, free period, etc.) or when getting your security deposit back.

Lease Contract

Understanding the lease contract is fundamental to avoid any scams at a later stage, at Here Real-Estate Agency, we are using our lease contract standard template always in generated in dual language (local language and English), offering full transparency to our clients.

All the terms of the lease contract are protective for our tenants to offer a hassle free journey in the APAC region. Additional terms can be added to the lease contract when specified during the negotiation phase with the parties.

In the event of breach of the lease contract, please note that the landlord has the right to keep the security deposit, for more information, see the “Security Deposit” section.

Moving Services

Moving services in China are relatively affordable and can greatly help you during the moving process. From full moving services including packing to regular moving only service, we have the perfect option for your needs thanks to our network of local moving partners. If you are interested, feel free to contact our team for more details.

Payments

Paying the security deposit and the first installment can be problematic as international bank transfer to landlords is restricted in China. Two options are working well, first one, paying by cash in CNY the landlord to avoid any issues when arriving in China (VISA and Master Card may have restriction in China), second option, paying using Wise or Revolut to pay the landlord Alipay directly (this solution works in most cases but may be restricted in terms of amounts sent).

We recommend bringing some cash (from CNY10,000 to CY20,000) to mitigate this risk and avoid extra stress when arriving in China.

As a kind reminder, always pay your rent on time to avoid extra penalty fees and the risk of being expelled by the landlord after a period of unpaid rents (your security deposit will also be lost in this process).

Police & Registration

Important when coming to China: the police registration. First thing when arriving in China is the police registration that can be done online or at the nearest police station. Check our flyers above for more information.

Important about the police in China as well, please be reasonable with doing noise at night (after 10pm) as your neighbors may call the police, creating unnecessary trouble during your stay.

Referral

Knowing some of your friends / colleagues looking for an accommodation in Shanghai? Make the introduction to our team (WeChat: here-mathias) and get a referral fee of CNY500 for apartment lead or CNY200 for a room / studio.

Having a lead for other real-estate project or consulting project? Feel free to refer to our team to get a referral fee based on the project deal value. Contact us on WeChat (WeChat: here-mathias) or by email at hello@here-group.com for more information.

Short Term Rental

Important informations related to short term contracts in China and Shanghai:

Lease duration: always check the duration of the lease contract to avoid the scams. Some agents / landlords will make you sign for long term lease contract exposing you to loosing the security deposit as the contract will be breached.
Security Deposit: always check the security deposit refund terms to avoid the scams. Most security deposit will be refund at the check-out or within 14 days after completing the check-out.
Utilities: always pay attention on your electricity consumption in summer as using the AC system can significantly increase the utilities bill. Same goes in winter, pay attention on your electricity consumption as using the floor heating, wall heating and AC system can significantly increase the utilities bill.

Security Deposit

Deposit Terms:

A security deposit is a sum of money paid by a tenant to a landlord before moving into a rental property. This amount serves as a form of financial protection for the landlord in case the tenant causes damages beyond normal wear and tear during their tenancy. Upon termination of the lease agreement, the security deposit will be refunded to the tenant within 14 days after the move-out inspection, provided there are no damages beyond normal wear and tear. Any deductions for repairs or cleaning will be documented and communicated to the tenant along with the remaining balance of the deposit. It is the tenant's responsibility to provide a forwarding address for the return of the deposit. Failure to do so may result in delays in the refund process. The security deposit refund will be refunded in the local currency by cash or local bank transfer

Deposit Refund Policy:

Upon termination of the lease agreement, the security deposit will be refunded to the tenant within 14 days after the move-out inspection, provided there are no damages beyond normal wear and tear. Any deductions for repairs or cleaning will be documented and communicated to the tenant along with the remaining balance of the deposit. It is the tenant's responsibility to provide a forwarding address for the return of the deposit. Failure to do so may result in delays in the refund process. The security deposit refund will be issued via check or electronic transfer, based on the tenant's preference.

Deposit Breach Policy:

In the event of the tenant(s) wants to terminate the lease contract before the lease contract end date, the landlord has the right to keep the security deposit in full amount. Always pay attention to the lease terms to avoid any unexpected surprise during your stay.

Utilities

The utilities are paid monthly or bi-monthly in most cases, the utilities are made of three (3) components: water, electricity and gas. Always pay attention to your electricity consumption in summer when using the AC system and in winter when using the floor eating, wall eating and AC system.

Always pay the utilities in time to avoid disruption from the local suppliers, please note that all outstanding utilities amounts will be deducted from the security deposit if unpaid.

Visits

Once you have selected one or multiple options, our team will schedule the visits. They are two (2) types of visits: onsite or online. Onsite visits are privileged to see the accommodation with your own eyes and to visit the surrounding areas. Online visits are privileged if you are abroad or have no time to do the onsite visits with our team. In both cases, our internal team will always do the visits with you and show you around the neighbourhood.

For the onsite visits, you can meet us at our agency directly to start the visits or meet our local team at the option directly to start the tours(s). All the visits will be done using taxi or by walk if the options are located near each others.

WiFi & Data

WiFi is usually not included in the accommodation, we recommend using China Telecom with the 200mo plan at around CNY2,000 / year. Please note that because of the firewall, data might be significantly slow for browsing international websites, using a VPN is highly recommended.

For the mobile data plan, using China Mobile is recommended, in China, you will always have to top-up your plan, it will usually cost around CNY100 per month. Same advice as for the WiFi, using a VPN is highly recommended.

Still have some Questions?

Don’t worry! We are here for you, feel free to contact us on WhatsApp directly by clicking the below button or contact us as well by email at hello@here-group.com.

We will come back to you in no-time with all the answers for you to enjoy a hassle-free stay with us in Shanghai.

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