China renters increasingly invest in home renovations

A growing number of renters in China are choosing to invest their own money into renovating and decorating their rental properties. This shift is reflected in social media trends, with the hashtag “rental home renovation” garnering over 2.3 billion views on Douyin and more than 3.7 billion views on Xiaohongshu.

This trend is driven by a change in how young people view long-term residency. In major Chinese cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, the number of renters has reached nearly 40 million, representing almost half of the population. Many tenants now view renting as a long-term commitment; over half of those surveyed indicated they are willing to rent for five years or more, with 20% prepared to stay for over a decade.

As renting becomes a long-term lifestyle choice rather than a temporary arrangement, tenants find that the cost of improvements like painting walls or purchasing furniture becomes a justifiable investment for daily comfort and convenience.