Beijing clamps down on irregular house leasing

Beijing municipal authorities have moved to root out irregularities in house leasing to maintain order in the sector.

The move came after the Beijing Daily reported that an 80-square-meter apartment in the capital had been rented to 25 people, who slept on bunk beds and shared one bathroom. The report went viral online and sparked widespread criticism targeting such leasing.

Beijing's housing authorities issued a notice on Thursday stating "the average area for a single tenant shall not be less than five square meters and each room shall not be rented to more than two people."

The notice also bans house owners from changing original room structure and rent kitchen, bathroom, balcony and underground store house to other people.

Real estate agents are also warned not to engage in house leasing that run against the notice.

"The notice gives law enforcement officers a policy basis to clamp down on irregular house leasing," Beijing's police officers said.