Shenzhen offers subsidy for minor home modifications

Homeowners in Shenzhen can apply for a government subsidy for minor modifications or upgrades to their apartments, capped at 10,000 yuan (US$1,404) per property owner, with no requirement for a renovation contract or small project filing record with the authority.

The new incentive, released yesterday by the city’s housing and construction bureau, complements the existing subsidies for whole-home renovations and partial home renovations.

Residents shop for home decoration items in a furnishings mall. Photo from Shenzhen Special Zone Daily

Eligible homeowners will receive a one-time subsidy of 20% of the total purchase price of home decoration items and materials, with a maximum cumulative amount of 10,000 yuan for a single homeowner, as per the incentive. No contracts or filings are required to apply for this grant. A record of reporting to the property management office, or to the community work station in case there is no property manage office, prior to the upgrades and modifications, is necessary.

The range of home decoration items and materials covered by this subsidy includes customized kitchen cabinets, bathroom fittings, wardrobes and flooring, among others.

Eligible homeowners can upload purchase receipts for home decoration items and materials, payment records such as POS transaction slips, and other application materials onto the “Shen Zhuang Yi” (Shenzhen Decoration Easy) platform.

Applications will be verified and reviewed by relevant subdistrict government offices. An application will be publicly displayed for one day for public scrutiny after being verified by the subdistrict authority. If no issues are reported during this period, the subsidy will be granted.

Previously, homeowners undertaking a comprehensive renovation of their property could receive a one-time subsidy of 20% of the total contract amount, capped at 30,000 yuan for a single homeowner. Additionally, the total expenses on home decoration items and materials must account for at least 60% of the contract amount, or a subsidy of 20% of the total purchase price of home decoration items and materials will be granted.

Homeowners undertaking partial renovations will receive a one-time subsidy of 20% of the total purchase price of home decoration items and materials, with a maximum subsidy of 20,000 yuan for a single homeowner. The purchase price of home decoration items and materials is based on the tax-inclusive price on offline sales invoices.