Real estate¹ rental² agencies, including Homelink and 5i5j.com, publicly committed to refrain from raising rents and to release more housing, but industry insiders said that the government should find more ways to increase housing supply in a bid to solve the problem at its roots.

近日，链家、我爱我家等房产租赁机构公开承诺将抑制租金上涨、投放更多房源，但业内人士表示，要从根源上解决这一问题，政府还需寻找更多方式增加房源供应。

At a symposium³ held by the Beijing Real Estate Agents Association last Sunday, 10 real estate rental agencies announced self-regulatory measures to stop "malicious⁴ competition" such as using loans to acquire apartments at above-market prices, a practice that is said to be driving rents higher.

在北京市房地产中介协会上周日召开的座谈会上，10家房产租赁机构宣布自律措施以遏制恶性竞争行为，如利用贷款以高于市场水平的价格抢占房源，据称这种行为导致租金上涨。

They also announced that they would release their entire stock of housing, a total of 120,000 units to the market, to stabilize⁵ rents.

这些租赁机构还宣布，将总计12万套的全部存量房源投向市场以稳定租金。

北京10家房屋中介承诺不涨房租

However, an industry insider said that a shortage of housing is the major cause of soaring rents, rather than the hoarding⁶ behavior of some agents.

但一名业内人士表示，租金上涨的主要原因是房屋供应不足，而非部分中介囤积房源的行为。

"The government still has to draft more policies to regulate the rental market, as well as find more ways to ensure an adequate supply in the market," the industry insider noted⁷.

该业内人士指出：“政府仍需制定更多政策来规范租赁市场，寻找更多方式确保租赁市场房源充裕。”

The average rent in Beijing was 91.5 yuan per square meter in July, up 2.2% on a monthly basis, financial news site 21jingji.com reported, citing industry data.

据21经济网援引行业数据报道，7月北京平均租金为91.5元/平米，环比上涨2.2%。