IN response to the rekindled tension between landlords and tenants over rent hikes, the city’s housing and construction bureau said the clash was mainly caused by lack of regulation and that it will attach importance to the pricing of rental housing while protecting the rights and interests of lessors, the Southern Metropolis Daily reported.

Arbitrary rent increases have always been a major headache for tenants, but the problem seemed to be exacerbated following the introduction of the additional tax deduction policy, which prompted many landlords to increase rental rates.

In response, the city’s political advisory body recently convened a meeting on the revision of rental housing management regulations.

Political adviser Nie Zhuqing said that in addition to surging rents, there are some grim problems that need to be tackled at present, such as the protection of tenants’ legitimate rights and interests.

Nie suggested that tenants’ rights and interests could be protected through legislation. Meanwhile, the city government should implement rent control measures in the rental market, regulate speculation on long-term rental apartments by controlling capital, moderately retain low-cost rental housing, provide subsidies and increase housing supply, he said.

Apart from general rental housing, office rent hikes were also mentioned as a problem for enterprises. According to political adviser Ju Xuecheng, there are more than 1.7 million small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Shenzhen, accounting for 99.6 percent of the total number of enterprises in the city. Most of the space used by these SMEs is rented.

However, rent has been shooting up particularly since last year, which produces heavy cost pressures for the majority of the SMEs in the city, Ju said.

Ju proposed promoting the integration of existing management agencies and establishing a unified industrial housing rental authority.

It has also been suggested that the relevant authorities regularly issue guide rental prices for industrial premises. The area of industrial premises should be calculated strictly according to the completed floor area, and the lessor should not be allowed to reduce the utilization rate or increase the rent at will.

(Zhang Yu)