On the market and the Internet are many kinds of tenancy agreements, some of which may have unfair provisions against the tenants or for charging unreasonable fees to the tenants, resulting in renting disputes.

Land Administration Bureau reminds the general public that in accordance with Paragraph 1 of Article 17 of Consumer Protection Act, the Ministry of the Interior has publicized the "Model Tenancy Agreement" to help the landlords and the tenants draft a contract with more equitable rights and obligations to either party.

Zhang Zhi-xiang (張治祥), Director-general of Land Administration Bureau, said: “Most tenants have weaker negotiating power than the landlords and are less familiar with the relevant laws and regulations. However, once a contract is signed, it is legally binding unless it is against public order and good morals. Therefore, when you are renting a house, you must examine the contents of the lease contract very carefully. I strongly suggest that you refer to the ‘Model Tenancy Agreement’ publicized by Ministry of the Interior. It is very important that both sides feel satisfactory about the contents of the contract in order to reduce dispute later.”

As foreigners may have language barrier in discussing and drafting a tenancy agreement with a landlord (who may not have the foreign language skills, either), the "Model Tenancy Agreement" has been translated into English. Both its Chinese and English versions can be downloaded from the website of Land Administration Bureau (http://www.land.taichung.gov.tw/). People are welcomed to make use of the service, said the Land Administration Bureau.