China’s homesharing space is coming under more concerted regulation and standardisation with the establishment of the House-Sharing Association by the country’s leading online homesharing marketplace Xiaozhu.com, Airbnb China, and the State Information Center of China National Development and Reform Commission.
Established on May 15, the association is calling on house-sharing companies to work with the Chinese government for legal regulation; make trust and safety a core industry value; and create a “fair and benign competition atmosphere”, such as by rejecting “money-burning” practices.
Over time, the association would also like to see the industry promote the standardisation of service process, quality control and dispute processing, working with government agencies to delineate responsibility and relationships among vendors, landlords and tenants.
The association has also initiated the development of China’s first house-sharing industry standards. Referring to what’s been practised by Xiaozhu.com and Airbnb in data security, trading rules, credit system and risk control, the team will work with experts to produce a standard document regulating house-sharing companies.
The standard is expected to be released by the end of 2018.
Xu Changming, deputy director of the State Information Center, said he hopes the association would play a role in driving Chinese government’s regulation of house-sharing industry and become a platform for all stake holders in the industry to exchange thoughts and ideas.
