Police authorities in Beijing have sparked heated debate by banning homeowners from renting their properties to people with "irregular lifestyles", including those who return home late at night.

In an order issued recently, police warned homeowners to avoid renting to any of five groups of people.

Guan Xihuan, an official from the population administration division of the Beijing municipal public security bureau, said the groups cover people who have no legal identification documents; those who conduct illegal religious activities; people running illegal commercial operations; those who handle or deal in dangerous goods; and people who keep unsociable hours and are suspected of wrongdoing.

"Our aim is to strengthen the administration of the leasing market to safeguard public security and maintain social order," Guan said.

But the suggestion that owners should not rent to those who keep unsociable hours has sparked the most debate.

"This will not address crime but cause chaos in the rental market," Wu Ge, a director at a law firm, said.

"This will result in the systematic discrimination of migrants who often cannot get jobs with regular hours. And it is unfair for those who cannot afford to buy a house in Beijing," he said.

Another concern is that the rules will be very difficult to implement.

"Homeowners sign contracts with whoever can provide the right documents and pay the rent," Wu said. But they have no idea if the documentation is false or not. And it is impossible for owners to check their houses every day, he said.

Jin Yusong, the vice-general manager of letting agent Beijing Lianjia, agreed.

"We have thousands of clients and it is impossible to check what time they go home at night or what they do inside the house. This is ridiculous," he said.

Zhang Jin works for a small barber's shop in downtown Beijing and rents a flat with friends. She usually returns home late at night.

"I can't even dream of being able to afford to buy a flat in Beijing because of the sky-high prices. I do not know where I shall go," she said.

But Guan said the regulation was designed to counter the crime peak that corresponds with the mid-autumn festival.

"What we are doing is reminding homeowners about the potential dangers in house renting. It is for their own good," he said.

(China Daily September 7, 2007)