A mobile phone user shows a room for rent with his smartphone in Shanghai. (Photo: China Daily)

BEIJING - Sanitation is at the top of the list when young Chinese consider renting an apartment amid COVID-19, a recent poll showed.

Around 54 percent of 2,000 young respondents picked cleanliness as their top concern when selecting a rental property, according to an online survey report published by China Youth Daily earlier this week.

It was followed by apartment design, with 53 percent saying that they prefer renting a unit built on a north-south layout, which would provide good natural light and ventilation.

The cost of rent, which occupied the top spot in last year's poll, has dropped to third place. Among those surveyed, 52 percent said price is a paramount factor in their choice.

In addition, 55.2 percent of respondents prefer a private tenancy, while 38.1 percent opt for a joint tenancy, and 6.7 percent are likely to share an apartment with more than one person.

The online survey was conducted among people aged between 18 and 35 who are looking to rent an apartment. Of them, 15 percent are fresh graduates, and 85 percent are employees with rental experience.