(ECNS) -- Rising house rent has forced many young workers, as much as 94 percent in a survey, to share a flat in the capital city, Securities Daily reported.
Ma Liu, who rents a three-room apartment in Chaoyang district of Beijing with two friends, was surprised when she got a call from the owner that said the rent would rise in the new tenancy term from June.
"Last year the rent was 9,200 yuan ($1,380) a month. But the owners asked for 10,000 yuan," Liu said. "We had to move out if we refused."
Liu's experience is not unique. Mr Liu, also in Chaoyang, said he began to look for an apartment in April. "The rent rises in June each year when graduates leave school," he said. "So I tried to find an apartment before graduation season."
Higher rents have forced more young people to live with roommates. A recent survey found that 94 percent of renters in Beijing opt for sharing flats with friends. And 60 percent of those in their 20s said rent could account for more than half of their salaries even when they don't live alone.
Graduating students from universities and colleges have a strong demand for rental apartments after leaving school, which pushes rents up in June and July, said Hu Jinghui, vice-president of real-estate brokerage 5i5j Group.
Apartment rental costs in Beijing have increased 12 percent since June, with prices for residences close to subways rising as much as 20 percent, according to tenants.
