Chinese authorities have said they will speed up the development of the rental market in growing cities, with the southwestern city of Chengdu among the first to take advantage of the policy. The first batch of rental homes operated by State-owned companies in the city was recently put on the market, and the initial results are promising.

“With the new policy, I hope more suitable homes can be provided to the rental market, as more and more people from other cities are coming to Chengdu to work and do business and they need diversified options. I think only more preferential housing policies can retain these talents,” Yan Jin, a resident of Chengdu said.

“I think it would be great if the rent can remain stable for a certain period with the introduction of the State-owned companies, like for three or five years. This will reduce a lot of trouble for tenants,” Jia Xuekui, a tenant in the city, said.

Liu Chuan, another tenant said, “I hope the house rental information can be displayed on the online platform in a transparent manner. And the quality of the houses and services should be guaranteed. I hope the new policy can benefit a larger number of people as soon as possible.”