Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
take over their lease. Alternatively, serviced apartments can definitely support you for short
stays.
The lease will specify the rent and deposit, as well as dates of payment. Be sure to check
how much notice you need to give without penalty. For two-year contracts, it can often be
established that the first year is fixed and the second year is flexible in that there is no pen-
alty for moving out early. On this note, don't forget to check with your company (if they are
bringing you over) if there are any penalties for leaving early.
Make sure you complete an inventory of the furniture and property's condition to avoid
disputes when you move out. Technically you can take the landlord to the local People's
Court to try to settle a dispute if needed, but this is often more trouble than it's worth.
Another thing to clear up before you sign the lease is whether or not the landlord can
provide you with
f
ā
piào
(invoices) for your rent. If you're in a corporate agreement this
will be essential. But even if you're employed locally, you can often use the
f
ā
piào
to offset
your own tax. Landlords don't always like to do this as it increases the tax, so if they refuse,
you can try to bargain down the rent by about 5 percent.
First, you must register at your local
pàich
ū
su
ǒ
(police station or PSB) within 24 hours of
moving into a new home. If you don't, you risk copping a significant fine and possibly more
serious penalties. Landlords or agents should accompany you, and it will definitely make
the process easier if they do. Again, they may resist doing this for tax reasons. The agent
will need to sort this out with the landlord, but regardless, this is something you can't avoid.
You'll need the registration slip from the
pàich
ū
su
ǒ
when it's time to renew your visa and
when your company applies for your working permit. Police often do random door knocks
(especially around student areas) asking for proof of registration.
When you register, you need to do it at an assigned
pàich
ū
su
ǒ
,
and these aren't always
the most obvious stations, so, if your landlord or agent isn't accompanying you, ask one of
them to explain exactly which one it is. Registering is free and generally quick and easy.
You'll need to take your lease, passport (with visa), and photocopies of the photo page of
your passport, the page with the most recent entry stamp, and the current visa. Some po-
lice may also require a copy of your landlord's ID card or a copy of the deed for the first
registration. In the future, you will also need to re-register within 24 hours of any changes
to your visas, passport, or address, and technically any time you leave the country for a
holiday or business trip. This is much easier. You can go alone, and you only need to take
your lease, passport, and the photocopies. In some areas, the police are lenient and friendly.
