Moving Apartments in China: A Practical Guide for Expats and International Students
How do you move apartments in China as a foreigner?
Start by checking how your current tenancy ends, then confirm your next apartment and coordinate the two handover dates. Arrange the move, settle outstanding bills, document the condition of both homes, and agree on your deposit refund in writing. After moving in, complete accommodation registration and check whether your residence-permit records also need updating.
Whether you are leaving a university dormitory, moving in with new roommates or relocating for work, the goal is the same: finish the old tenancy clearly and start the new one with everything documented.
This guide covers the transition between homes. For help with the initial search and signing process, read our complete guide to renting an apartment in China.
Before booking anything: check how your current lease ends
How much notice should you give your landlord?
Read your contract before choosing a moving date. Look for the tenancy end date, notice requirements, renewal arrangements and any early-termination clause.
Distinguish between leaving when the lease expires and leaving before it expires. Do not assume that giving one month’s notice automatically releases you from a fixed-term agreement. China’s official model rental contract leaves notice periods and early-termination compensation for the parties to agree; it is not a universal “30 days and you can leave” arrangement.
Send notice through the method required by your contract and retain proof of delivery. Ask the landlord to confirm the final rental day, inspection appointment and key-return arrangements.
For planning, begin reviewing these details around four weeks before your intended move—or earlier when your contract requires it. This is a suggested preparation window, not a legal notice period.
What happens if you need to leave early?
Discuss the complete settlement before committing to another apartment. Ask what happens to prepaid rent, the deposit, any agreed termination charge and outstanding bills.
Do not treat “you will lose your deposit” as a complete explanation. Request a written agreement stating the termination date, amounts payable or refundable, and when your remaining obligations end.
Finding someone to take your room is not automatically the same as ending your tenancy. Under the Civil Code, an authorized sublet can leave the original lease in force, with obligations continuing between the original tenant and landlord. Agree explicitly whether the arrangement is a sublet or a replacement tenancy that releases you.
For a shared apartment, also clarify whose name is on the lease and who holds your deposit. A roommate’s agreement to take over your room should not replace written confirmation from the relevant contracting parties.
Secure your next home and plan the overlap
Before booking movers, confirm when the new apartment will actually be available, when you can collect the keys, and whether promised cleaning or repairs will be finished.
Where your budget allows, consider a short overlap between the two homes. That gives you room to inspect the new apartment, move your belongings and clean the old one without making everything depend on a single appointment.
Agree on access rather than assuming it. Being allowed to leave boxes before the lease starts does not necessarily mean you have permission to stay overnight.
Budget for the money you need before your old deposit returns
For cash-flow planning, add together:
The new security deposit + the first rent instalment + moving and setup costs + any payments still due on your current tenancy.
Do not subtract the old deposit until it has actually been returned.
For example, suppose your new rent is RMB 3,500 per month and the agreed payment schedule requires one month’s deposit plus three months’ rent upfront. You would need RMB 14,000 before moving expenses and other agreed charges. This is an illustrative calculation, not a typical-price estimate.
Our guide to rental costs in China can help you think through the wider housing budget.
Start your next-home search with Shanghai apartments, Beijing rentals or Shenzhen homes. Compare the total move-in payment and available date—not just the advertised monthly rent.
Before signing, work through 25 Things to Check Before Signing a Lease in China.
Moving out of a university dormitory?
Check your university’s approval and checkout procedures before paying for an off-campus apartment. Some institutions require advance approval: Hainan University’s 2026 international-student guidance, for example, makes approval a condition of moving off campus.
Ask your international student office about dormitory checkout, fee adjustments, any accommodation subsidy and the records you must submit after moving. For a comparison of your options, see our international student housing guide.
One to two weeks before moving: get a complete moving quote
Choose the service around what you need transported. A few suitcases and boxes require a different arrangement from a move involving a bed, desk, washing machine and fragile furniture.
When comparing quotes, give each provider the same information: both addresses, the number and size of boxes, photographs of large items, the floors involved, and whether working lifts are available at both buildings.
Ask whether the price covers carrying belongings from inside your old apartment to inside your new one—not just driving between the addresses.
Request confirmation of packing materials, loading and unloading, stairs, long carrying distances, furniture disassembly and reassembly, waiting time, parking, tolls and any extra stops. Ask what would trigger an additional charge and how it must be approved.
Also confirm how damaged or missing items would be handled, including any protection offered, exclusions and reporting deadlines. Keep the booking and written quote.
Check access at both buildings
Contact building management—wuye (物业)—at both addresses. Ask whether you need to reserve a lift, arrange vehicle access, follow particular moving hours or obtain a pass to take furniture out.
Share the full Chinese address and a map pin with the mover, including the building number, entrance, floor and apartment number. Do not rely on the English compound name alone.
For an intercity move, confirm the pickup and delivery windows separately, whether storage or transfers are involved, and who will receive the belongings at the destination.
Keep your essentials with you
Carry your passport, residence documents, contracts, valuables, medication, laptop and chargers yourself. Pack a separate first-night bag with bedding, toiletries and a change of clothes.
Number your boxes and keep a simple inventory. Photograph fragile or valuable items before packing and check them promptly after delivery.
Arrange utilities and internet before handing back the keys
Settle bills without paying for someone else’s usage
Ask which accounts are in your name and which remain with the landlord or building management.
At the old apartment, record electricity, water and gas readings at handover. Keep screenshots of account balances and payment receipts. Agree on the date separating your usage from the next tenant’s.
When a final bill has not yet been issued, document how it will be calculated and settled. If any deposit money is temporarily retained for that bill, agree on the amount, supporting evidence and a final settlement date.
For shared housing, settle your contribution with your roommates in writing, including how any later bill will be divided.
Can you transfer your broadband?
Contact your provider with the exact new address and ask about broadband relocation, commonly called kuandai yiji(宽带移机). Confirm availability before relying on a transfer; China Telecom’s relocation process, for example, includes checking whether service can be installed at the destination.
Ask about the transfer charge, installation appointment, remaining contract term and cancellation options. Confirm whether your broadband is connected to a mobile-phone package before changing either service.
Check which equipment belongs to you, the landlord or the provider. Do not pack a router, modem or television box until ownership and return requirements are clear.
When leaving shared broadband behind, clarify who will hold the account and pay future charges. Keep confirmation of any transfer or cancellation.
Prepare the old apartment for a documented handover
Find your original move-in photographs and inventory before you start cleaning. Compare the current condition with what was recorded, including furniture, appliances, walls, floors and existing damage.
Remove your belongings and rubbish, empty cupboards and the fridge, and clean the areas covered by your agreement. Obtain permission before leaving furniture behind—even when you believe the next tenant would find it useful.
Ask about cleaning expectations in advance. A written description of what is required is more useful than discovering at checkout that the landlord expected something different.
Normal wear is not the same as damage
China’s Civil Code distinguishes ordinary wear from damage caused by improper use. A tenant is not liable for normal wear resulting from use consistent with the agreement or the property’s nature. That does not remove responsibility for tenant-caused damage.
During the inspection, compare any proposed deduction with the original condition and ask for an explanation and supporting evidence.
What should the handover record include?
Walk through the apartment with the landlord or authorized representative. Record the condition, any agreed problems, final meter readings, returned keys and access cards, and the outstanding financial settlement.
Take clear photographs after your belongings have been removed. Include wider room views as well as close-ups of disputed areas. Share the record promptly and ask both sides to sign or confirm it in writing.
Do not record a disputed deduction as agreed. Identify the disputed item separately, and distinguish money promised from money already received.
If an in-person inspection is impossible, agree on the alternative beforehand—for example, an authorized representative or a recorded video inspection with written acknowledgment of key receipt.
Confirm exactly how and when your deposit will be returned
Ask for a written calculation showing the original deposit, each proposed deduction, the remaining balance, the refund date and the payment method.
China’s national Housing Rental Regulations require the lease to address the deposit amount, refund timing and deduction circumstances. They also restrict deductions made without a justified basis outside the agreed circumstances.
Avoid leaving the arrangement at “we will refund it later.” Where a final utility bill remains outstanding, ask whether the undisputed balance can be returned first, with a clearly documented amount retained for settlement.
Keep access to the account or payment method receiving the refund.
For tenancies using Wellcee’s optional online lease service, check the Wellcee deposit and contract FAQ. Its deposit-return process applies to that service; finding a property on Wellcee does not by itself mean the platform holds your deposit.
What if the refund is late or disputed?
Send a written follow-up referring to the lease, handover record, agreed refund date and outstanding amount. Attach the relevant payment records and request an itemized explanation for any deduction.
Keep the discussion factual. If negotiation fails, the national regulations provide for lawful dispute-resolution routes including mediation, arbitration where applicable, or litigation. Seek local advice on the appropriate route for your agreement and circumstances.
At the new apartment: document the starting condition immediately
Before unpacking, check the new home against the agreed inventory and record existing defects, cleanliness, meter readings and prepaid balances.
Test the keys, access cards, hot water and essential appliances. Confirm whether promised repairs have been completed and put any remaining work and deadline in writing.
Save the signed lease, payment receipts, inventory and photographs in one folder. Send the condition record to the landlord promptly rather than relying on photographs that were never shared.
For a shared apartment, confirm practical arrangements with your new roommates: bill payments, kitchen storage, cleaning, guests and quiet hours. Our guide to finding roommates in China includes useful points to discuss before settling in.
After moving in: register the new address and update relevant records
Complete accommodation registration within 24 hours
Foreigners staying in accommodation other than hotels must complete accommodation registration within 24 hours of moving in, either personally or through the person accommodating them. Registration for the previous apartment does not cover the new address.
Since September 21, 2026, the national online service has been available nationwide through the National Immigration Administration’s website, the NIA 12367 app, and its WeChat and Alipay mini programs. In-person registration remains available.
Arrange the landlord or host’s cooperation before moving. Eligibility to complete the online process yourself depends on your circumstances and registration history. Follow the current system instructions; if online registration cannot be completed successfully, use the local police-station route.
Keep your completed registration record. For help with the process, contact the National Immigration Administration’s 12367 service hotline.
Check residence-permit address updates separately
Accommodation registration and residence-permit information updates are not the same procedure.
For example, Shanghai’s official guidance requires residence-permit holders to update their permit information within 10 days of an address change, in addition to completing accommodation registration. Check the process that applies to your permit and destination with the local exit-entry administration.
For a move connected to a new job, university or city, consult your employer or international student office before moving about any additional work- or study-related procedures.
Also update your university or employer’s contact records, relevant banking and insurance records, and saved shopping and food-delivery addresses. Remove the old address as your default so your first delivery does not go to the wrong home.
Copy-and-paste messages for your landlord
Replace the brackets before sending. Use any formal notice method required by your lease; these messages help confirm arrangements but do not replace the contract’s notice requirements.
Confirming a move-out at the end of your lease
English
Hi [name], my tenancy ends on [date], and I do not plan to renew. Could we arrange the inspection and key handover for [date/time]? Please confirm the cleaning requirements, final-bill arrangements, and the date and method for returning the deposit. Thank you.
中文
您好，我的租约将于[日期]到期，我不打算续租。我们可以在[日期/时间]验房并交接钥匙吗？请确认清洁要求、最后账单的结算方式，以及押金退还日期和方式，谢谢。
For an early departure, request agreement on termination and settlement rather than treating your preferred moving date as already approved.
Requesting an itemized deposit settlement
English
Hi [name], please confirm the deposit settlement for [address]: the original deposit of RMB [amount], each proposed deduction and supporting evidence, the remaining refund, and the payment date. Please also identify any item we have not yet agreed on. Thank you.
中文
您好，请确认[地址]的押金结算明细：原押金[金额]元、每项拟扣费用及依据、应退余额和退款日期。如有尚未协商一致的项目，也请单独列明，谢谢。
A final checklist before you close the old tenancy
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Lease and payments: Confirm the tenancy end date, final rent settlement and any remaining obligations.
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Condition and handover: Save photographs, the inventory, meter readings and acknowledgment of returned keys.
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Deposit: Record deductions, disputed items, the refundable balance and the agreed payment date.
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Services: Confirm utility settlement and any broadband transfer, cancellation or account change.
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New address: Complete accommodation registration and check residence-permit, university or employer updates.
Frequently asked questions about moving apartments in China
Can I move out before my rental contract ends?
You can arrange an earlier physical move, but that alone does not end your contractual obligations. Review the termination clause and seek a written settlement with the landlord. Finding a replacement tenant or giving notice should not be treated as an automatic release.
Can I use my deposit to pay the final month’s rent?
Do not assume so. Check the agreement and obtain written confirmation before withholding rent or treating the deposit as payment. Keep the final rent calculation and deposit settlement clearly documented.
How long does a landlord have to return my deposit?
Start with the refund timing stated in your lease and any subsequent written settlement. The national regulations require the contract to address refund timing; do not rely on an assumed seven-day or 30-day rule. Clarify unresolved bills and deductions before handover.
Do I need to register again when moving within the same city?
Yes. Moving to a different apartment means registering the new accommodation, even within the same city. Complete the registration within 24 hours of moving in and retain the updated record.
Find your next home with the move in mind
A suitable apartment should work for your budget, commute and moving dates—not just look good in photographs.
Explore Guangzhou rental listings, Hangzhou apartments and Chengdu homes, and confirm availability and total move-in costs before arranging transport.
A move is easier to manage when the old tenancy’s settlement is clear, the new home’s condition is recorded, and the address paperwork is complete.
This guide provides general information, not legal advice. Requirements depend on your contract, location, immigration status and, where relevant, university policies.
