Want a side gig? People in China will pay you to prove a property is not haunted

Haunted properties are so difficult to sell in China that people are earning money staying at the place for a night

It’s common across Asia for properties that were the home to a tragedy to sell for a significantly lower price

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A potentially haunted flat is investigated by freelancers who try to prove it is fine to live in. Photo: gmw.cn

Published: 8:15am, 17 Nov 2021Updated: 8:25am, 17 Nov 2021

It can be almost impossible to sell a property in Asia after it was home to an ‘unnatural death’, but, thankfully, a group of intrepid freelancers in China will make sure the place is not haunted — for a price.

In China, a small industry of “haunted house testers” are hired by property agents, owners or potential buyers. They are typically paid one yuan per minute, and could make upwards of 1,440 yuan (US$220) for a 24-hour stay, according to Dahe Daily, a news website based in the central province Henan.

The report quoted one haunted house tester, a retired soldier surnamed Zhang, who said he knew of over a dozen other people who were taking on the job.

“This is a niche occupation. It’s not suitable to be a full-time job, but it can be a part-time gig. Workers need to fly across the country and they do not know where they will go next,” he said.

Retired soldier Zhang (left) makes some extra cash by visiting “haunted houses” to prove they are not. Photo: gmw.cn

Zhang also said that the demand is not high and said he has received about one order annually over the past few years.

His clients are normally property agents trying to sell haunted properties or people who just bought a property they fear is haunted.