# Renting an apartment in Taichung as a foreigner: what we see on viewings **URL:** \ **Category:** Living in Taiwan\ **Created:** [October 19, 2026, 6:09am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/renting-an-apartment-in-taichung-as-a-foreigner-what-we-see-on-viewings/260296 "2026-10-19T06:09:17Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chester](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/chester/32/276589_2.png) [@Chester](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Chester)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 6:09am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/renting-an-apartment-in-taichung-as-a-foreigner-what-we-see-on-viewings/260296/1 "2026-10-19T06:09:17Z")
Hi, I am Chester, the owner of Walking tour team in central Taiwan. I’ve walked a lot of foreign residents through apartment viewings in Taichung, and the same few things trip people up every time. Sharing in case it saves someone a wasted afternoon: 1. Ask “does the landlord accept foreign tenants?” before you go. Many listings don’t say, and some landlords decline at the door. 2. Under Taiwan’s standard residential lease, the deposit is capped at 2 months’ rent. On signing day you usually pay the deposit plus the first month’s rent. 3. Bring your passport/ARC. The lease will be in Chinese, so read it with someone you trust before signing, especially the early-termination and repair clauses. 4. Ask how electricity is billed. Landlords often bill it themselves per kWh, so ask the rate up front. 5. Ask whether the management fee (管理費) is included in the rent. 6. Photograph every wall and appliance on move-in day. It makes the deposit conversation at move-out much easier. Most newcomers start in Xitun / 7th Redevelopment Zone, near Feng Chia, or along the MRT green line in Beitun, and each feels very different. What surprised you most when you rented in Taichung? Anything you’d add? Disclosure: I run TC TIME WALK Living, a licensed agent plus an interpreter for foreigners renting in Taichung: [Expat & Student Rentals in Taiwan | TC TIME WALK Living](https://tctimewalk.com/en/living?src=fm-forumosa) Happy to answer questions here either way. regards Chester ---
**Author:** ![slawa](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/slawa/32/112823_2.png) [@slawa](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/slawa)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 6:53am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/renting-an-apartment-in-taichung-as-a-foreigner-what-we-see-on-viewings/260296/2 "2026-10-19T06:53:40Z")
3 posts were split to a new topic: [How to edit a post](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/how-to-edit-a-post/260298) ---
**Author:** ![Leeksoup](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/leeksoup/32/230614_2.png) [@Leeksoup](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Leeksoup)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 7:40am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/renting-an-apartment-in-taichung-as-a-foreigner-what-we-see-on-viewings/260296/3 "2026-10-19T07:40:52Z")
Isn’t it the case that landlords billing tenants for electric usage but not following the same rate as the TaiPower Company is illegal as of a couple years ago? What do you say to landlords who try to continue to break this law? ---
**Author:** ![Chester](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/chester/32/276589_2.png) [@Chester](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/Chester)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 8:06am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/renting-an-apartment-in-taichung-as-a-foreigner-what-we-see-on-viewings/260296/4 "2026-10-19T08:06:39Z")
Ha, yes, you’re right! Since 15 July 2024 the rule is clear: if a landlord bills electricity per kWh, they can’t charge more than the average per-kWh price on that period’s Taipower bill, and they have to show you the bill info. That’s the law. Reality has a few landlords who still believe electricity is a creative pricing exercise. 😄 What we do: 1. Ask how electricity is billed before signing, and ask to see a recent Taipower bill. 2. Write the method into the lease. 3. If the landlord won’t play by the rules, we politely walk away. In Taiwan’s rental market, “we’ll pass” is the strongest negotiating move you have. Honestly, this is part of why many landlords here don’t rent to foreigners at all: some don’t want tenants who ask about the rules (and some just worry about the language barrier). So we do the filtering first and only bring our clients to landlords who are fine with foreign tenants and fine with fair, by-the-bill electricity. Thanks for raising it. I don’t know how update point 4 in my post.So update here as below : 1. Electricity: since July 2024, a landlord who bills per kWh can’t charge more than the average per-kWh price on that period’s Taipower bill. Most landlords follow it; a few still don’t. Ask how it’s billed before you sign, and if they won’t do it by the bill, walk away. There are better apartments (and better landlords) out there. ---
**Author:** ![FatKaz](https://forumosa-12829.kxcdn.com/user_avatar/tw.forumosa.com/fatkaz/32/174281_2.png) [@FatKaz](https://tw.forumosa.com/u/FatKaz)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2026, 8:14am UTC](https://tw.forumosa.com/t/renting-an-apartment-in-taichung-as-a-foreigner-what-we-see-on-viewings/260296/5 "2026-10-19T08:14:27Z")
> [@Chester](#): > > 1. Ask “does the landlord accept foreign tenants?” before you go. Many listings don’t say, and some landlords decline at the door. What reasons do landlords generally give for refusing foreign tenants? And, just out of curiosity, does this extend to all foreigners including other East Asians or just the foreigners who don’t look the same?