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Relocation to Shanghai
- Relocation Services
- * 24-hour Customer Service
- * Community Building
- * Finding Ayi
- * Fit-out design and execution
- * Search for Ideal Homes & Offices
- * Setting up Offices or Representative Offices
- * Trouble-free Relocation to Shanghai
- * Airport Pick-Up
- * Designated Customer Service Officer
- * Finding Chauffeur
- * Lease contracts negotiation
- * Search for Ideal Schools
- * Transcultural Orientation for Newcomers
- * Visa Assistance
Pet Relocation
Globy Pet Relocation (GPR), the leading pet transportation service company in China, is Villableliving’s member vendor.
GPR offer customers the ability to transport their pets anywhere in the world. GPR’s prime mission is to ensure customers’ pets arriving healthy and safe. They have extensive experience in helping pets to transport internationally more than 10 years. They provide customers with unparalleled service and care. They work hand in hand with the pet's owner to address each pet needs during transportation. More...
GPR offer customers the ability to transport their pets anywhere in the world. GPR’s prime mission is to ensure customers’ pets arriving healthy and safe. They have extensive experience in helping pets to transport internationally more than 10 years. They provide customers with unparalleled service and care. They work hand in hand with the pet's owner to address each pet needs during transportation. More...
- FAQ
Clients usually have questions about residential of Shanghai. Below is a list of the most frequently asked questions which can help us to understand more about the home leasing situation in Shanghai.
Please click the questions(Q) and you will see the answers(A).
(1) About renting a home in Shanghai:
(2) About selection of your community:
(3) About Living in Shanghai:
1.1)
Q:
A:
We have seven main factors about rent in Shanghai, these are: location, size,
layout, quality of renovation/fit-out, old/new, facilities and outdoor space.
A:
Historical buildings with old renovated apartments (typically within the former
concession areas) are more expensive than units in new residential compounds.
Location also matters. An old villa or apartment downtown costs about twice as much
as one locates at a similar place in Pudong or Hongqiao.
A:
2 months rental is standard here. Your landlord has the rights to forfeit some or all the
deposit upon the lease termination when it incurred damages, unpaid bills or in case
of premature lease termination by tenant.
A:
Premature lease termination without good cause will most likely mean that you lose
the entire deposit, unless you have a Diplomatic Clause in your contract.
A:
If you have fulfilled your lease obligations and not damaged any of the provided
furniture ,appliances or fittings (normal wear and tear excepted), you are entitled to
have the full deposit without interest returned no later than 30 days after you move
out.
A:
Usually, rents are quoted in US$ but paid in RMB. This matter is subject to
negotiation with your landlord. Very few landlords now accept USD, because the
exchange rate is changing.
A:
When you deal with a private landlord (not the compounds which have their own
management/leasing teams), you might be evaluated such as your appearance, income,
nationality etc. The bottom line for a landlord is "will this person be able to pay the
rent on time every month?" and "will my property be well taken care of?"
A:
Find a good property agent and do make an effort to give your future landlord a good
impression of you and your intentions, and try to maintain a good relationship after
you move in as well.
A:
Most landlords who want to rent out their property prefer to renovate it themselves.
But the Suburbs in Shanghai can be rented cheap and it might be worth to keep an eye
out for and then you can fix it up yourself.
A:
There are three factors for you to notice. 1. get a long-term lease; 2. secure the
permission from the landlord in the contract to change the existing layout; 3. add an
extra clause in your lease contract which states that if the landlord terminates the lease
agreement prematurely, you are entitled to have your expenses for the renovation
work covered.
A:
Most private landlords and compounds will not accept lease terms of less than 12
months, but if you can sign a lease contract of 2-3 years it gives you the benefit of a
slightly reduced rent.
A:
Shanghai has a limited selection of well managed serviced apartments for short-term
rentals, but these are significantly more expensive than 1-2 year leases.
A:
Yes, utilities cover water, gas, electricity, phone, ADSL and satellite TV fee. And if
you need a parking space you will usually have to pay an extra monthly fee on top of
your rent.
A:
All rental prices on Villable.com are the asking price. You can negotiate the price and
the terms of the contract.
A:
No. Legally in Shanghai the agency fee is a total of 70% of one month's rent, and the
tenant and landlord have to bear 35% each, respectively. However, in reality
Villable’s registered consultants don’t charge agency fees from the tenant.
A:
There are no legal services or lawyers required to sign a lease agreement in Shanghai.
Should either party request lawyer, they will be responsible for covering their own
costs.
A:
It would depend on personal choice and circumstances. Some would like
to live near the workplace or near school(s). Budget is also a
consideration.
A:
There are a number of good international schools here in the Shanghai.
Some of them run the IB programme of which its qualification is
recognized and accepted by many universities worldwide.
You can find such information from vilable.com by clicking “Better City,
Better Life” or from villableliving.com by clicking “Find your Ideal
School”.
2.3)
Q:
A:
Yes, it is in fact a preferred feature of homes in Shanghai.
You can find properties by golf courses by clicking “Villable Golf”.
A:
There are different expats associations in Shanghai. They welcome
newcomers and organize regular coffee mornings, lunches, dinners, walks and games.
A:
There are a number of legally approved churches. Please contact our
Relocation Consultants for details.
A:
There are European, Australian, Japanese and Korean supermarkets selling a
wide selection of foodstuffs from all over the world. Also you can buy fresh
fruits and vegetables from the local wet market. Eating out is no problem at all
as there are many international restaurants and bars selling food with menus in
English.
3.2)
Q:
A:
It is strongly advisable not to drink tap water but to use bottled water to clean
your teeth etc.
A:
English is becoming more prevalent but in some places, you will only hear
Chinese spoken. If you are here for some time, it is advisable to learn some
Mandarin even if it is to give directions in a taxi, or purchase something from
a shop. It is a good idea to collect name cards of the places you have been to
if you wish to visit again.
A:
You can drive your own car after being a resident for one year subject to passing a driving test. Taxis are very inexpensive and easy to get. There is a
Metro that circumnavigates the city with good connections to the main
railway stations. There are also buses that run frequently.
A:
There are more and more stores opening to cater for the larger ladies and
gentlemen. But, the most popular way to get clothes that fit is to have them
made to measure. This is not as expensive as you may think.
A:
Most top brands can be found here in the supermarkets and department stores.
On occasion, you may have to find a substitute.
A:
Yes, a foreigner can open an account in any of the licensed banks in Shanghai
subject to some basic requirements which vary from bank to bank. Basically
you have to show your passport and Shanghai residential address.
A:
Providing your phone is open to any network, you can buy a local sim card at
a very reasonable price. Using your UK sim card is not recommended since it
will be very expensive.
A:
There are many medical clinics offering services to foreigners. Related
information can be found in “Home Related Services” of Villableliving.com.
However, it is highly recommended that you should arrange insurance
covering overseas medical expenses and emergency repatriation services.
A:
There are very few dangerous creatures which can still make a living in
Shanghai. In summer you may find toxic mosquitoes near to water or wet
places. It is not deadly but its bites do give a lot of pain. There is
also a kind of poisonous snake called “Agkistrodon halys” or pit viper. It
has triangular head and short tail. Its bites can be deadly. This kind of snake
can be found on riversides and near to lakes and ponds.
A:
There are many free magazines published and given free at the bars and
restaurants for you to pick up. Also, the expats associations produce
magazines for their members.
Relocation Stories
- Our first Home Experience in Shanghai
- We moved to Shanghai in Aug 07. Being ex-pat virgins and the only family to relocate within my husbands company, it was down to us to sort everything out (of course)! More...
Relocation Consultants
Language Selection:
- Lily Goh
- Relocation Consultant
- Language:English
- Tel:+86(021)32515182/5183
- Email:cs@villable.com
- Richard Fan
- Relocation Consultant
- Language:English
- Tel:+86(021)32515182/5183
- Email:cs@villable.com
Villable Recommendation:
Living in Shanghai
