Many renters face hardships as housing policies are not always effective

Many renters face hardships as housing policies are not always effective

2026-07-08

In Taiwan, there’s a large underground rental market. Many landlords do not officially report their rental income to the tax office to avoid paying higher taxes. With housing prices and rents both soaring, the government has stepped in to offer rental subsidies to help people who are struggling. But some landlords are resistant to putting their rental contracts on the books, even going as far as refusing to rent to people who want to apply for these subsidies. There’s also a shortage of social housing. The Ministry of the Interior is now turning to government-subsidized rental subleasing and management services, revitalizing vacant private housing to serve as an alternative supply. Let’s see how renters are reacting.

Hsiao En’s most comforting moment is when she returns home and is welcomed by her dog and two cats. However, her landlord’s participation in an urban renewal project has forced her to move again from her two-bedroom, one-living-room apartment, which is over 80-square meters. She originally hoped for social housing, but this repeatedly fell through. With rents increasing, they can eat up almost half her month’s salary.

Hsiao En
Renter
Everyone is on a waiting list, maybe dozens or even hundreds, so I’ll never get a turn. From what I can sense, the average rent in New Taipei City has probably gone up by over NT$5,000. For apartments in better condition, not like those creepy dumps, it’s probably at least NT$25,000 or more.

With housing prices and rents rising year after year, housing pressure has intensified. After the government expanded rent subsidies, some landlords are now restricting tenants from applying for them as they are concerned their tax burdens will increase. In addition, social housing has long been in short supply. The Ministry of the Interior has now turned to government-subsidized rental subleasing and management services, revitalizing vacant private housing to serve as an alternative supply.

Ou Cheng-hsing
National Land Management Agency
There is a massive resource in the private sector: a large number of vacant homes. We hope these landlords will make these properties available, essentially creating a private-sector version of social housing.

Ms Chen
They said I was too old and landlords wouldn’t rent to me. They said "What will I do if you die in the apartment?” They refused me outright. Policies sound good, but they can’t achieve anything.

Although social housing subleasing and management regulations prioritize taking care of vulnerable groups, elderly people who live alone often face rejections from landlords due to concerns about health and income.

Wang Tse-jen
New Taipei City rental association
Let’s look at the actual data: vulnerable tenants are not the same as bad tenants; they still pay their rent as normal. Looking at current subsidized housing operators, the proportion of vulnerable tenants within our association has already reached as high as 45%.

Ou Cheng-hsing
National Land Management Agency
For the operators that provide leasing and management services, we will use our evaluation mechanism.

While subletting and managing rental housing may not be able to replace government-built social housing, it is considered an important supplementary measure. However, how to ensure that vulnerable people can rent and live stably remains a policy challenge.

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