Preparing to Take Possession of Property, Owners at Nanchang Runfu Required to Pay Back Two Months of Property Management Fees: Property Owners Distressed by Only 3 Days' Notice and 3-Day Handover Period, Lawyer Says No Property Fees Required Before Actual Possession

Jiangnan Weibang Special Report | Preparing to Receive the House and Being Asked to Pay Outstanding Property Fees for the Past Two Months, Nanchang Runfu Homeowners Worried

“I was ready to move in, but I was told I need to pay the property fees for the previous two months. If I don’t, I can’t move in. Is that reasonable?” Speaking about his new home at China Resources Land · Nanchang Runfu, homeowner Mr. Huang expressed his frustration. Due to delays caused by the Spring Festival, he went to handle the house transfer in mid-March 2026, only to be told by the property management that he needed to pay the property fees for January and February of this year, or he couldn’t complete the move-in. Mr. Huang said he is willing to pay the property fees on time but believes the charges should start from the actual move-in date in March.

The delivery notice sent to homeowners states that the handover procedures are to be completed from December 26 to 28.

◎Homeowner: “If I don’t pay the property fees, I can’t move in”

According to Mr. Huang, he purchased a unit in Building 10, Block 2 of the community between late October and early November 2025. On December 23, 2025, he received a notice from the community property management informing him that he could handle the house transfer from December 26 to 28. Due to busy schedules during the Spring Festival, he was unable to go in time and only prepared the documents in mid-March 2026, then went to the property management to complete the transfer.

On December 23, staff notified him of the transfer date.

What Mr. Huang didn’t expect was that the property staff said he needed to pay the property fees for January and February 2026 before completing the transfer. “If I don’t pay, I can’t move in.” Mr. Huang found this confusing. After reviewing relevant regulations, he discovered that this practice conflicts with the relevant provisions of the Jiangxi Property Management Regulations.

Mr. Huang believes that since he only handled the transfer in mid-March 2026, and the house had not yet been officially delivered, the property fees for January and February should be borne by the developer, not him. “I’m not refusing to pay the property fees; I just want the calculation to start from the actual move-in date.” He emphasized.

On the afternoon of March 19, the reporter visited Nanchang Runfu and reported the situation to the property management front desk. A customer service staff member said: “The developer sends the delivery notice to homeowners in advance, clearly stating the period for house transfer. Property fees start from the month after the transfer date. We follow the transfer date on the notice to start charging.”

The courier was delivered on December 23.

In response, Mr. Huang showed the email he received, which indicated it was sent on December 23, 2025. The notice asked him to handle the house transfer between December 26 and 28 and to bring relevant documents at the scheduled time.

“Notified me three days in advance, and I only had three days to handle the transfer. This does not comply with relevant regulations,” Mr. Huang said.

When asked whether the developer’s regulation that the transfer period should be no less than two months, but only three days were given, complies with regulations, the staff responded: “I’ll note your question, and a dedicated spokesperson will follow up. We will report back as soon as possible.”

As of March 21, before the article was published, no response had been received.

◎Lawyer: No property fees before actual house transfer

Regarding the confusion some homeowners expressed during the visit about the house transfer process, the reporter also consulted legal professionals. Xu Caiyun, a lawyer at Beijing Jing Shi (Nanchang) Law Firm, said: “The developer’s提前通知 only 3 days and a 3-day window for transfer is far below the legal minimum of two months, which is procedural violation. Even if the homeowner delays in accepting the house, it cannot be deemed as ‘delivery,’ nor can property fees be transferred to the homeowner.”

Xu Caiyun further explained: “The legal point of ‘delivery’ should be based on the homeowner’s actual signing of the transfer documents, receiving the keys, and completing the acceptance, not the developer’s unilateral notice. Since Mr. Huang has not actually received the house or signed the transfer documents, the house is still legally ‘not delivered.’ According to the Jiangxi Property Management Regulations (2025 revision), for houses not yet delivered, the property management fees should be borne by the construction company, and there is no legal basis for the property company to collect fees from the homeowner.”

Additionally, Xu Caiyun pointed out that the “commodity house sales contract” between Mr. Huang and the developer is a property sale contract, while the “preliminary property management service contract” with the property company is a separate legal relationship. The property company’s rights and obligations come from the property management contract, and they have no authority to block the developer’s contractual obligation to deliver the house by claiming property fee rights.

Xu Caiyun reminded homeowners that if the property management company demands prepayment of property fees as a prerequisite for house transfer, they should clearly refuse and keep evidence; before actual transfer, no property fees are required; if obstruction by the property company prevents transfer, homeowners can claim breach of contract from the developer for late delivery; if the developer sets a transfer deadline of less than two months, they can report to the housing and urban-rural development department; if issues remain unresolved, they can also file a lawsuit in the local people’s court.

【Source: Jiangnan Metropolitan Daily】