I live on the second floor of a 4 storey building that used to be a family house for the landlord. He is renting rooms on floors on 2, 3 and 4. The ground floor is the dinning room and kitchen combined with a small box room and bathroom next to it. Upon entering the house you have to move through this space to get to your room. He has now rented this box room to a person who constantly has to move between it and the bathroom making things very awkward and uncomfortable for anybody entering the house or using the kitchen to cook or get something from the common refrigerator. Basically this person is half living in their room and half living in the kitchen. There are a total of six people living in the house. Are there any rules or regulations regarding overcrowding? This is more like a third world situation. Can landlord basically do anything they want or are there some oversight by government agencies?
I don’t know the answer to your question regarding the legality of what the landlord is doing.
Regardless, that doesn’t seem to be a comfortable situation to anyone living there. Besides, if the kitchen is a common area, it’s not correct that someone takes this space for their personal stuff.
Have you tried talking to the landlord about that?
a total of 6 people in a 4 storey building doesn’t sound overcrowding.
Isnt there a number to call to report things? Im new to taiwan but i think its # 1999
One time I stay in a Airbnb room in Taichung which was a similar style building (ground floor is the dinning room and kitchen combined with a small box room and bathroom next to it)
I think there should be at least another bathroom for the 2, 3, 4 floors , and write down rules for the use of kitchen , dinning area , bathroom , and so on…
the guy living in the box room is actually enjoying more space and more comfort , but pay less rent?
this is not a smart move from the landlord
Land Act
Chapter III. Lease of Houses and Building Sites
Article 96
In cities and municipalities, necessary restrictions on the number of rooms to be occupied by each citizen for his own dwelling may, with due regard to local conditions, be prescribed by the Municipal or County (City) Government; but such restrictions shall be subject to the approval of the local assembly.
Consumer Protection Committee (CPC) Complaining Online Form
Department of Land Administration,Taipei City Government
https://english.land.gov.taipei/Default.aspx
Land administration Dept. New Taipei City
https://eng.land.ntpc.gov.tw/
Bear in mind these are not apartments and just rooms, but the point of my post was mainly that someone is basically living in the kitchen making life restricted and awkward for others.
Not only did I talk to him, I told him not to do it before he did it. He said everybody does it in Taiwan - the attitude being that basically if you don’t like it you don’t have to put up with it! He is aware that this a little bit third-worldy but he is squeezing a few more NTs out of his property.