Chinese homebuyers are enraged by shoddy building standards

Finance & economics | Bringing the house downChinese homebuyers are enraged by shoddy building standardsCrooked walls and broken promises are harming China’s property marketShareWhat’s gone wrong this time?Photograph: Reuters Feb 12th 2026|SHANGHAI|4 min readWhen Steven Shi got the keys to his new $1m flat in northern Shanghai, in December, things were not quite right. The walls were crooked. The balcony’s tiles had not been installed properly. The power outlets did not have an electrical connection but the mirror in the bathroom did, delivering a shock when he touched it. Already have an account?Log in Continue with a free trial Get full access to our independent journalism for free Free trial Or create a free account to unlock just this article Create account Explore moreShareReuse this contentThe Economist TodayHandpicked stories, in your inboxA daily newsletter with the best of our journalismSign upYes, I agree to receive exclusive content, offers and updates to products and services from The Economist Group. I can change these preferences at any time.More from Finance & economicsAmerica’s welfare state is more European than you think State-level policies are making up for stingy federal provisionA viral research note on AI gets its economics wrongToo much of a good thingThe AI productivity boom is not here (yet)Artificial intelligence is improving fast. Its effect on output, not so much ButtonwoodMarkets are churning furiously beneath a calm surfaceAI is prompting investors to reassess every business model under the sunDonald Trump answers a Supreme Court rebuke with new tariff threatsThe immediate economic impact will be more uncertaintyThe EU is thrashing out a more muscular set of economic policies The bloc is done playing nicely