Do I need to sign a contract to rent a house?

Renting a house requires signing a contract. According to the provisions of the forthcoming Civil Code, the lessor and lessee can sign the lease contract by themselves without registration and filing procedures. However, the agreed lease term must exceed 20 years, otherwise the excess will be deemed invalid.

legal ground

Article 703 of the Civil Code of People's Republic of China (PRC)

A lease contract is a contract in which the lessor delivers the lease item to the lessee for use and income, and the lessee pays the rent.

Article 704

The contents of the lease contract generally include terms such as name, quantity, purpose, lease term, rent and its payment term and method, lease maintenance, etc.

Article 705

The lease term shall not exceed twenty years. More than twenty years, the excess is invalid.

At the expiration of the lease term, the parties may renew the lease contract; However, the agreed lease term shall not exceed twenty years from the date of renewal.

Chapter seven hundred and six

If the parties fail to go through the formalities of registration and filing of the lease contract in accordance with the provisions of laws and administrative regulations, the validity of the contract will not be affected.