The government needs to take measures to strengthen regulation of the house-leasing market in major cities, said an article in the Southern Metropolis Daily (excerpts below).

The Beijing municipal government ruled recently that each leased room can only accommodate two people at most, and the living area allocated to each person should not be less than 5 square meters.

It is necessary for the government to strengthen regulation of the market for safety reasons.

However, if the rent and home prices are too high for average wage-earners in Beijing, the government should also provide enough government-subsidized homes for low-income people.

The city needs these people to function properly.

Estate agents that divide and sub-divide apartments must be held to account.