The showroom at A Glamorous City in Hangshou, China is closed after a group of customers vandalised it at the weekend. The offices of Vanke – China's largest property develper – office in central Hangzhou, sported two armed security guards in faux-army fatigues block the front entrance after another group of customers trashed the premises on Sunday, destroying furniture and overturning desks.

The demonstrators came in search of compensation. Having already paid for yetto-be-completed Vanke apartments, they were irate that the company was now offering discounts of up to 25% on similar properties.

The mini-riot could be just one of many flashpoints in Chinese cities featuring people with little confidence in the legal system. But it comes at a time of mounting evidence that the property market is faltering, Vanke’s vandalised office could be an indicator of more problems to come.

Financial Times

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