5 Questions to Ask a Taiwanese Landlord Before You Sign

The five questions for a landlord in Taiwan that prevent most problems are: can I register this address for my ARC, how is electricity charged, what does it cost to leave early, who fixes what, and how do I get my deposit back. Each one maps to a rule in Taiwan's rental law or the government's model lease, so a good landlord will have a clear answer, and a vague one tells you something.

Our recommendation: ask question 1 first, before you fall for the flat, because a "no" ends the conversation. Ask all five in person, write the answers into the contract, and add one bonus question not to skip: "Are you the owner?" Below is why each matters, what a good answer sounds like, and how to ask it in Chinese.

1. Can I register this address for my ARC?

Ask: 可以用這個地址辦居留證嗎？ (Kěyǐ yòng zhège dìzhǐ bàn jūliú zhèng ma?)

This is the question that matters most for foreigners. When you apply for or update your Alien Resident Certificate, the National Immigration Agency asks for proof of where you live, "such as a lease agreement", according to its residency guidelines. If the landlord won't let you use the address, your ARC stalls.

Why would a landlord say no? Usually because they don't declare the rental income and worry a registered tenant leads the tax office to them. Under the Ministry of the Interior's rules for standard leases, a clause saying the tenant can't register at the address is void. But a void clause doesn't help you if the landlord simply refuses to cooperate in practice.

A good answer: "Yes, other foreign tenants have done it, I'll sign whatever the immigration office needs." A warning sign: "Why do you need that?" or "Use a different address." Our guides to the ARC chicken-and-egg problem and Taiwan rental fine print explain the background.

2. How is electricity charged, and what's included?

Ask: 電費一度怎麼算？租金有含什麼？ (Diànfèi yī dù zěnme suàn? Zūjīn yǒu hán shénme?)

In whole apartments, electricity usually goes on your own Taipower bill. In suites and rooms, the landlord often reads a sub-meter and charges you per kWh (度). Since July 15, 2024, the model lease rules say a per-kWh charge can't exceed the average rate on that period's Taipower bill, and a flat fee can't exceed the bill's total. The landlord has to give you the bill information.

Also ask about water, gas, internet, the management fee and cleaning of shared areas. If the management fee rises during your lease for reasons that aren't anyone's fault, your share of the increase is capped at 10%.

A good answer: a specific number per kWh and a willingness to show the Taipower bill. A warning sign: "NT$6 a kWh, that's the rule." Our hidden costs guide shows what a realistic monthly total looks like.

3. Can I end the lease early, and what does it cost?

Ask: 如果要提前解約，要提前多久說？違約金多少？ (Rúguǒ yào tíqián jiěyuē, yào tíqián duōjiǔ shuō? Wéiyuē jīn duōshǎo?)

The model lease has a box: either side may or may not end the lease early. If "may" is ticked, you give at least one month's notice, and if you leave without notice the penalty can't exceed one month's rent. If "may not" is ticked, you're bound for the term apart from a short list of legal reasons, such as a long-term illness or a home that needs repairs the landlord refuses to make (Article 11 of the Rental Housing Market Act).

For anyone whose job or visa could change, this is worth negotiating hard. A good answer: "One month's notice is fine." A warning sign: a penalty of "the whole deposit" or "the rest of the year's rent".

Photo: Bernard McManus via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0

4. Which repairs are yours, and how do I reach you?

Ask: 哪些東西壞了是房東修？要怎麼聯絡你？ (Nǎxiē dōngxi huài le shì fángdōng xiū? Yào zěnme liánluò nǐ?)

Article 8 of the Act requires the landlord to keep the home fit to live in, explain before signing which repairs are theirs, and give you a way to reach them. If they don't fix something within a reasonable deadline you set, you can fix it and deduct the cost from rent. Under the model lease, anything you're expected to repair has to be listed and confirmed by you; if it isn't listed, it's the landlord's job.

Ask specifically about the air conditioner, the water heater, the fridge and the washing machine, because those are the expensive ones. A good answer: "Appliances are mine, message me on LINE and I'll send someone." A warning sign: "Everything is the tenant's problem."

5. How and when do I get my deposit back?

Ask: 押金什麼時候退？會怎麼扣？ (Yājīn shénme shíhòu tuì? Huì zěnme kòu?)

The deposit can't exceed two months' rent, and the landlord must return it, minus unpaid rent or proven damage, when the lease ends and you hand back the flat (Article 7). The handover is meant to be done together (Article 12).

Ask what counts as normal wear, whether they'll do the walk-through with you, and whether the deposit comes back on move-out day or after the last utility bill. A good answer: "We check together on the last day, I transfer it after the final electricity bill." A warning sign: a mandatory "cleaning fee" taken from every deposit regardless of condition. See what happens when your lease ends.

Bonus: are you the owner?

Ask: 請問你是屋主嗎？可以看一下權狀或謄本嗎？ (Qǐngwèn nǐ shì wūzhǔ ma? Kěyǐ kàn yīxià quánzhuàng huò téngběn ma?)

The model lease requires the landlord to show ID and a document proving they have the right to rent the unit. If they're a sub-landlord (二房東), they need the owner's written consent to sublet (Article 9). If the owner never agreed, the owner can end the head lease and you can lose the flat and your deposit. This one question rules out most rental scams; see rental scams targeting foreigners in Taipei.

Six more questions if you have time

The five above prevent the expensive problems. These prevent the annoying ones:

• Is the rent tax-included? (租金含稅嗎？) Some landlords quote rent "excluding tax" and add a monthly surcharge, or don't want you to claim the rent on your tax return. Eligible tax residents can deduct up to NT$180,000 a year in rent (Commercial Times), so decide whether that matters to you before signing.
• Can I keep a pet? (可以養寵物嗎？) "No pets" is sometimes a default, not a rule. A small, quiet cat is often negotiable with a written agreement. See renting with a pet in Taipei.
• Is any renovation planned in the building? (大樓最近有要裝修嗎？) Drilling next door at 9am every weekday can ruin a work-from-home year.
• How does trash work here? (垃圾怎麼丟？) A building collection room is a big quality-of-life upgrade over chasing the garbage truck at 7:30pm.
• Can parcels be received? (包裹可以代收嗎？) Buildings with a guard or management office usually sign for deliveries; walk-ups don't.
• Are overnight guests OK? (朋友可以來過夜嗎？) Some shared flats have rules about this. Better to know now.

None of these are deal-breakers on their own, but two or three unclear answers together usually mean a landlord who'll be hard to deal with all year.

All five questions for a landlord in Taiwan on one card

• Question: ARC address? | Chinese: 可以用這個地址辦居留證嗎？ | Good answer: Yes, in writing
• Question: Electricity? | Chinese: 電費一度怎麼算？ | Good answer: No more than the Taipower average rate
• Question: Leaving early? | Chinese: 提前解約要提前多久說？ | Good answer: One month's notice, penalty no more than one month
• Question: Repairs? | Chinese: 哪些東西壞了是房東修？ | Good answer: Appliances and structure are the landlord's
• Question: Deposit? | Chinese: 押金什麼時候退？ | Good answer: After a joint walk-through, minus proven costs only
• Question: Owner? | Chinese: 你是屋主嗎？ | Good answer: Shows ID and ownership or written consent

Screenshot it and show it on your phone if you need to.

If the answers are bad

Not every vague answer means walk away. Here's how we read them:

• ARC address refused: walk away. There's no workaround that's worth the risk to your residence status.
• Can't show ownership or sublet consent: walk away. This is where deposits disappear.
• Electricity above the Taipower average rate: negotiate. Point to the rule; many landlords simply copied an old number.
• No early termination: negotiate, or accept only if your plans are truly fixed for the full term.
• Vague on repairs or deposit: ask for it in writing. A landlord who won't write down a simple promise is unlikely to keep it.

Two walk-away answers, and the flat is off the list no matter how good the view is.

Write the answers down

A verbal yes is easy to forget a year later. Every answer above belongs in the contract or the condition report, or at minimum in a LINE message from the landlord that you keep. Our guide to what a normal Taipei rental contract looks like shows where each one goes.

Let TRA ask the questions

These conversations are easier in Chinese, in person, with someone who knows what a normal answer sounds like.

• We ask these questions in Chinese at the viewing, before you've invested any emotion in the flat.
• We confirm ARC address registration and ask to see the landlord's proof of ownership or sublet consent.
• We negotiate the answers into the contract and go through it with you clause by clause before you sign.

Once the in-person search starts, finding the right place typically takes anywhere from 3 to 5 days up to about 1 to 2 weeks. You pay a deposit when we start and the balance once you've found your home; we quote individually. See how our service works.

Our pick

If you only get to ask one question, ask about the ARC address. If you get two, add "are you the owner?" Those two rule out the situations that are hardest to fix after signing. If you'd like us to ask them for you, get in touch.

FAQ

What should I ask a landlord before renting in Taiwan?

Whether you can register the address for your ARC, how electricity is charged, what leaving early costs, who handles repairs, and how the deposit is returned. Also confirm the landlord owns the unit or has the owner's written consent to sublet.

Can a Taiwanese landlord refuse to let me register my address?

A lease clause banning registration is void under the government's rules, but a landlord can still refuse to rent to you in the first place. Ask before you sign, and get the answer in writing.

How much can a landlord charge for electricity in Taiwan?

Under the model lease rules in force since July 2024, a per-kWh charge can't exceed the average rate shown on the landlord's Taipower bill for that period.

How do I check if the landlord really owns the apartment?

Ask to see their ID and the ownership certificate or a recent land registry transcript, and compare the names. A sub-landlord should show the owner's written consent.

Is it rude to ask these questions in Taiwan?

No. Asked politely, they show you're a careful tenant, which most landlords like.

More Taipei guides