We rented a 30 ping apartment a year ago for $15K a month.
Now the year is up, and the landlord wants us to sign a fresh 1 year lease.
I know in the US, the default is that you simply roll over to month-to-month.
But of course either side can ask for a fresh 1 year lease.
I friend of mine managed a small apartment complex and the landlords
always made her go around and try to get everyone to re-up.
I asked a local, he thought that a fresh 1 year lease was standard practice in Taiwan.
I don’t really want to do it though, I feel like what are they going to do,
go through the trouble and cost of replacing us just so that they happen
to have a 1-year lease in place with the next tenant?
I have overstayed my lease twice, once here and once back home in the states. Both instances the landlords did not care under the stipulation that I give a 30 day notice before I leave or I wouldnt get my deposit back.
Also, the one in the states bumbed the rent up by 10% while I was living month to month which was fine with me.
I overstayed my last contract by a few months.
Same thing, the landlord just charged me the same monthly price and told me to give a month’s notice if I wanted to leave.
Ditto. A very unscientific opinion is that this, in Taiwan, might be an issue of formality. In larger cities, it is more common to push a new lease. In rural areas, second year and beyond on month-to-month seems more common. Exceptions obviously exist in both cases.
Biggest issue I see on a m-to-m arrangement is unexpected surprises. The landlord can also give you 30-day notice (or less) at any time if he cuts a better deal with someone. In this circumstance, your stability is as strong as your landlord’s ethics.
One issue hasn’t been raised and, IMHO, it can be quite crucial. From the landlord’s perspective I can see no sense in trying to get a new one-year contract unless the deposit gets “reinforced”. What I mean is if someone signs a new lease does that mean that they lose their deposit if they terminate prior to the end of the additional year? If so, this potential risk shall be considered plus - as the tenant’s hands are tied because of the deposit - the landlord should have no right for ordinary termination during the one-year term.
You sign the lease year by year, and if you leave earlier you are not entitled to your deposit. Most people sign a standard lease agreement you can buy at stationery shop.
1 year extensions are standard practice but as often things are negotiable.
I insisted on monthly extensions for my current place after my first year and the landlady agreed to it under the condition of a 1 month notice period.