How to Rent an Apartment in Taiwan

Renting an apartment in Taiwan can be a daunting task if you don't speak Chinese. Fortunately, Taiwan thrives on social relationships and with a little bit of help you will probably find that dream apartment without too much trouble. Read on to learn how to rent an apartment in Taiwan.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Patience

1. Decide what kind of apartment you want. Just like in the rest of the world apartments in Taiwan vary in cost and quality. It is possible to get a bachelor apartment (known as a "tao fan") for a pittance or to spend a few months salary on a three-bedroom, fully-furnished luxury pad. Many Taiwanese apartments are guarded and come with a gym. Have a look at different places before you put down any money.

2. Ask your friends. Taiwanese don't like to pay retail--who does? Asking friends for deals is a very common practice in Taiwan and renting an apartment is no different. In fact, renting an apartment from a Taiwanese friend can insure a watchful landlord and, if you're lucky, increase your social relationship with the community.

3. Check forums and websites. Online forums for foreigners living in Taiwan are great sources when renting an apartment. Two good places to start would be Forumosa and Tealit. Both websites have regular postings of apartments in major cities and for a variety of budgets.

4. Ask the security guards. Most people in Taiwan own their own apartment. If they decide to rent out their place they will often tell their security guards. At that point it's simply a matter of walking into a building and asking a guard if anything is for rent. Of course, you'll need to either speak Chinese or have a Taiwanese friend accompanying you.

5. Sign a lease. Once you've found that perfect place you're going to need to sign the lease. Standard practice for landlords is to ask you for two months rent up front. The landlord will probably keep all the bills in his or her name, but you will be responsible to paying them every month. While landlords rarely cause problems in Taiwan, this is definitely the time to bring along a Taiwanese friend to make sure that you are clear on everyone's obligations.

Resources

• Forumosa Website
• Tealit Site

[jlinm]

on 10/11/2009 Please check here for furnished apartment in Taipei http://tw.page.bid.yahoo.com/tw/auction/c40807354

all furnished with air con, LCD TV, free access to Internet, fridge, Washer and Dryer and close to Taiwan Normal University's language center and National Taiwan University. 5 minutes to subway station. Clean, Quiet, Safe, good service and maintenance. Competitive price. Please contact [e-mail] or [phone] for more details.

[maoman]

on 8/6/2009 Regarding Step 1 - actually it's a "taofang" not a "tao fan". A minor point, but it might help with communication.

You can also check out Forumosa's dedicated classified website, www.taiwanted.com. There are always lots of apartments for rent! (And jobs, too!)

Maoman from www.forumosa.com