I found a roommate on Wellcee. She was great. Her cat was not.

ChinaTravelMemo

My friend from South Korea was looking for a shared apartment in Beijing. She tried 58.com and got scammed twice (fake listings).

Then she found Wellcee.

What is Wellcee?

Wellcee is a roommate-matching and apartment-finding platform popular with young Chinese and expats. It's like a friendlier, more verified version of Craigslist.

• Profiles include photos, job, hobbies, and lifestyle preferences
• Listings are usually verified (real photos, real apartments)
• You can filter by: pet-friendly, non-smoking, LGBTQ-friendly, etc.
• It's free for renters

The search:

She filtered:
• Budget: ¥3,000-4,500/month
• Location: Chaoyang District
• Roommate preference: Female, non-smoker, English speaker
• Pet preference: No pets (she's allergic)

She found a listing: a 2-bedroom in Sanlitun. The roommate was a Chinese girl named Lina who studied in London. Perfect English. Friendly photos. Reasonable rent: ¥4,200/month.

She moved in.

The roommate:

Lina was amazing. Clean, respectful, fun. They became real friends.

The cat:

Lina had a cat. She didn't mention it in the listing.

My friend is allergic to cats.

She discovered this on Day 1 when her eyes swelled up and she couldn't stop sneezing.

"Oh, you didn't know I have a cat?" Lina said. "I thought I mentioned it."

She had not.

The resolution:

My friend bought antihistamines. Kept her bedroom door closed. Bought an air purifier.

The cat was actually sweet. It just made her face look like a balloon.

After 2 months, her allergies adapted. She could pet the cat without dying.

Tips for finding roommates in China:

Platforms:
• Wellcee — best for foreigners, English interface
• Ziroom (自如) — professional management, no roommate choice
• Douban groups — very local, all Chinese
• Facebook expat groups — limited listings

Questions to ask before moving in:
• Do you have pets? (Get photos. Verify species.)
• What time do you usually sleep?
• Do you cook? How often?
• Do you have guests over? How often?
• What's the shower schedule?
• Who cleans? How often?

Red flags:
• Won't video call before you visit
• Rent is way below market
• Can't show you the actual room ("it's occupied right now")
• Asks for deposit before you see the place

My Korean friend's summary:

"Wellcee saved me from more scams. I got a great roommate. I also got a cat I didn't ask for. But you know what? The cat is now my favorite roommate."

Anyone else used Wellcee or had a surprise pet situation?