EF English First China Company Documents

Accommodation Policy & guidelines (Foreign Staff)

Article 6. Housing

Please indicate the Employee’s choice: ______

A The Employee requests to be provided with single (DOS)/ shared (Teacher) accommodation by the Employer with conditions as set forth below. The Employee agrees to stay in the accommodation provided for the duration of this contract. In the case of failure to complete the Contract term or failure to perform this stipulation, the Employee agrees to repay the loss of the deposit of no more than RMB 2000. If the Employee leaves the housing in the middle of a month, the Employee agrees to repay the portion of the monthly rental fee remaining.In such cases, he/she understands that he/she forfeits any rights to housing allowance benefits paid by the Employer. The Employee may move out of the shared accommodation if another teacher agrees to take his/her place or with the agreement of the Employer. The Employee shall be responsible for all housing utility fees such as electricity, gas, water, telephone, Internet and cable TV. The Employee shall keep the premises clean and in proper order. The Employee shall be responsible for any and all damage to the premises or furniture beyond normal wear and tear.

OR B The Employee wishes to be responsible for finding and contracting his/her own accommodation in the city where the Employer is located. The Employee understands that he/she will be responsible for paying deposits and signing contracts. The Employee will be paid a cash housing allowance in arrears upon production of receipts. The accommodation must meet the Chinese regulations regarding foreign citizens residence. The cash allowance is RMB per month (in arrears) provided the Employee can produce an official tax invoice showing that the landlord has paid tax on the rent. If no official receipt, only a receipt of cash received, is provided the allowance is RMB . Such a cash allowance shall facilitate an Employee to rent the apartment with the same conditions as stated in 6.1A. During the first two weeks the Employee will be provided with temporary shared accommodation.

Accommodation Guidelines:

Location:

Teacher’s apartments should be no more than 30 minutes journey away from the school by public transport, with a supermarket and or market within 15 minutes walk of the apartment.

The building should be secure and approved by the local police for habitation by foreigners.

Rooms:

There must be two bedrooms of more or less the same size (apartment for DOS only needs to have one bedroom), bathroom, kitchen, eating area and living area.

Recommended Furniture:

Bedroom(s) / Kitchen / Eating/living area / Bathroom
Double bed
Western-style mattress
Table/dressing table
Air conditioner
Wardrobe
Curtains / Gas hob
Sink
2 cupboards
Refrigerator
Microwave oven
Crockery
Cutlery/chopsticks / Table + two chairs
Coffee table
TV
Air conditioning
Sofa
Arm chair
Adequate lighting / Toilet
Basin
Shower with surround or in bath-tub with curtain
Washing machine

Above all else:

-Apartments should be thoroughly cleaned before the teachers or DOS arrive. Particular attention should be paid to the bathroom and kitchen.

-Hot water, air-conditioning and other electrical and gas appliances should be tested before the apartment is taken. Defective appliances should be mended or replaced before the arrival of the teachers or DOS.

-Bus routes etc. From the apartment to the school should be reliably researched before the teachers ’/DOS’s arrival. Where possible maps in Pinyin should be marked and prepared in advance

-It is the practice of some schools to have some basic food staples in the apartment for the arrival of the teachers/DOS’s. For example: bottled water, orange juice, bread, instant noodles, tea, coffee, milk and sugar. It is standard practice to have bed linen ready if not on the bed: quilt + cover, pillow + cover, sheet on mattress.

-A 50RMB IP card allows teachers to make a quick call home to let their family know that they have arrived safe and sound.