Renting in Taiwan as a Foreigner
The Real Estate Agency Route
Finding a place to rent in Taiwan can be a big challenge for foreigners new to the country. There are several options to explore, but the quickest and most convenient way is to hire a professional real estate agency. Taiwan has many well-known national real estate chains like Sinyi Realty, CT House, ET Warm, and 21st Century Real Estate. They have access to a vast number of rental listings and can quickly match you with suitable options based on your needs.
Agency Fees Explained
The biggest advantage of using a real estate agency is saving yourself the time and effort of house-hunting on your own. However, this convenience comes at a cost – agencies typically charge both the landlord and tenant a service fee. By law, the total brokerage fee cannot exceed 1.5 months’ rent. The typical fee is one month’s rent for the landlord and half a month’s rent for the tenant.
Verifying the Agency’s Legitimacy
One downside of going through an agency is that you may not meet the landlord directly, making it harder to assess if they are reasonable. To protect yourself, it’s advisable to check if the agency is legally registered on the government’s real estate service database. You should also ask the agency to provide the landlord’s authorization documents, property title deeds, and ID to verify they have the authority to rent out the property.
Agency’s Role After Lease Signing
It’s important to note that once the lease is signed, the agency’s role is only to facilitate the rental transaction between you and the landlord. Any subsequent repairs or maintenance issues need to be coordinated directly with the landlord unless you opt for a property management service which handles these matters.
Renewals Without Agency
If you are renewing your lease, you typically deal directly with the landlord and do not need to go through the agency or pay brokerage fees again.
The Direct Rental Route
An alternative to using an agency is to search rental listings yourself on sites like 591.com.tw or community notice boards. However, many listings on 591 are posted by agencies, so you may still end up paying agency fees if you rent through them. To avoid fees, your best option is to find listings directly posted by landlords.
Downsides of Direct Renting
The downside of finding a rental on your own is that you have to personally coordinate viewings and negotiations with landlords, which can be very time-consuming, especially for foreigners unfamiliar with Taiwan. You could ask friends for referrals or use smaller rental information services, but they may not be as efficient as large agencies.
Choosing the Right Approach
Ultimately, the ideal rental method depends on your budget, time, and patience. If you want to find a great rental quickly and efficiently, using a reputable real estate agency is convenient, albeit with service fees. But if you have ample time, finding a rental directly from landlords can help you avoid fees. Whichever path you choose, we wish you the best of luck in finding your new home in Taiwan!
For tips on renting in Taiwan as a foreigner, check out our comprehensive Taiwan Rental Guide for Foreigners.
