My landlord tried to raise rent mid-lease. I said no. Here's how that went.
So I've been in this Shanghai apartment for 8 months. Two-year lease, everything fine.Last week the landlord texts me (in Chinese, translated by my friend): "Market prices have gone up, I need to increase rent by ¥500/month starting next month."
Excuse me? We have a SIGNED CONTRACT.
I was stressed ngl. My Chinese is barely functional and I didn't want to move. But I also wasn't paying an extra ¥500 for no reason.
What I did:
1. Found the original contract
2. Took a photo of the clause that says "rent amount will not change during lease term"
3. Sent it back to him with a polite but firm message (my friend helped draft it)
4. Mentioned that I'd already paid the next quarter's rent in advance per the contract
He read it. Didn't reply for a day. Then said "okay, forget it."
That was it. No drama. He just... tried it on. And when I pushed back, he folded.
Takeaway: Your contract is your shield. Landlords in China sometimes test boundaries because they assume foreigners don't know their rights. Know your rights.
Also: always get a Chinese speaker to review your lease BEFORE signing. I did and it saved me.
Anyone else had a landlord try something sketchy?
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