Property Jargon

When reading the property classifieds looking for a house or apartment to buy or to rent, some terms may be unfamiliar - here are explanations of the key Chinese real estate words...

The following terms and abbreviations are used in classifieds for rental properties in China:

Attached villa Town house or duplex
Detached villa House
Diplomatic clause A break clause negotiated into a contract, at which point a tenant may give notice to terminate the agreement
Duplex Two-storey apartment
Exclusive rental Where rent does not include service fees or other liabilities
Inclusive rental Where rent includes service fees and other charges
Serviced apartment Accommodation with hotel-like services
Unfurnished An empty property (no soft furnishings or appliances included)

The following abbreviations are often included in classified advertisements for property:

A/C Air conditioning
A/C-H Heating
Ba Bathroom
Bal Balcony
Br Bedrooms
CP Car park
Excl Exclusive
Gdn Garden
Incl Inclusive
Lr Living room
PF Part-furnished
TH Town house
UF Unfurnished