On move-in day, ask the landlord to inspect the condition of the home with you item by item, take photos as evidence, record the water, electricity and gas meter readings, list the accessory equipment, and have both sides sign and attach the record to the lease agreement. The Ministry of the Interior's model residential lease agreement (住宅租賃契約書範本) itself comes with a "rental property condition confirmation form" (租賃標的現況確認書) and a "list of accessory equipment" (附屬設備清單) that you can use directly. At move-out, the handover is done jointly against the same record, which prevents many security deposit disputes.
The legal basis for the handover: not a courtesy, but written provisions
The basic rules for residential leases are in the act on the development and management of the rental housing market (租賃住宅市場發展及管理條例, called "the rental housing act" below; the law database shows an amendment date of February 8, 2023). The details of the contract can refer to the model residential lease agreement as amended by a Ministry of the Interior letter of July 8, 2024. The provisions directly related to the move-in and move-out handovers are as follows.
| Matter | What it provides | Basis |
|---|
| Condition at handover | The landlord must deliver a residence that meets the agreed residential use, and keep it fit for residential use during the lease | Article 8, paragraph 1 of the rental housing act |
| Explanation of repairs | Before signing, the landlord must explain the items and scope of repairs the landlord is responsible for, and provide contact details | Article 8, paragraph 2 of the rental housing act |
| Security deposit cap | May not exceed 2 months of total rent; returned when the lease ends, the residence is returned and debts are settled | Article 7 of the rental housing act |
| Move-out handover | When the lease ends, both sides jointly complete the handover of the condition of the home and the accessory equipment; if one side still does not attend after being urged, the handover is deemed completed | Article 12 of the rental housing act; Article 14 of the model |
| Items left behind | Items left behind after the handover that are still not retrieved after being urged are deemed abandoned, and the disposal costs may be deducted from the security deposit | Article 12, paragraph 2 of the rental housing act |
| Contract review | The contract review period is at least 3 days | Model residential lease agreement |
| Dispute mediation | The landlord or tenant may apply to the special municipality or county (city) government for mediation, with no mediation fee | Article 16 of the rental housing act |
The notes column of the model is very direct: "When a tenant moves into the rental residence, the tenant may ask the landlord to inspect the condition of the residence's fixtures together and take photos as evidence; if there is accessory equipment, it may also be itemized in a list, for reference when the residence is returned restored to its original condition." At move-out, "if there is a list of accessory equipment or photos taken as evidence, the two sides should inspect, hand over and return items one by one together". In other words, the move-in record is the point of comparison at move-out.
What the condition confirmation form asks about
Annex 1 of the model, the "rental property condition confirmation form", is signed or stamped by both sides and lists 12 items. Many tenants have never seen this annex; when signing, you can ask the landlord to fill in this form directly.
- Whether any part is unregistered rebuilding, extension, addition or illegal construction.
- Building type, layout (number of bedrooms, living rooms and bathrooms, and whether it is partitioned) and type of letting (whole floor, self-contained suite (獨立套房), sublet suite (分租套房), sublet room (分租雅房) and so on).
- The type and number of the car and motorcycle parking spaces.
- Whether there is a residential fire alarm or other fire safety equipment, and whether fire safety inspections are carried out regularly.
- Whether there are leaks, where the leaks are, and who deals with them (landlord repairs before handover, tenant repairs, handed over as is, or other).
- Whether a radiation-contaminated building test has been done.
- Whether a reinforced concrete chloride ion test has been done (sea-sand house, 海砂屋).
- Whether a homicide, suicide, carbon monoxide poisoning or other unnatural death has occurred in the exclusive-use portion.
- Whether the water supply and drainage are normal, and if not, who deals with it.
- Whether there are building bylaws for the apartment building, and whether they are attached.
- Whether there is a management committee (管委會), how much the management fee is, and whether there are unpaid management fees.
- The items and quantities of accessory equipment, such as a refrigerator, washing machine, air conditioner, range hood, gas stove, water heater and natural gas.
The model's list of annexes also includes the "list of accessory equipment", the "confirmation of the items and scope of repairs the tenant is responsible for" and the "sketch of the location and layout of the rental residence", as well as "other (survey plan, photos of the current state of the interior, tax registration certificate and so on)". Interior photos can be formally listed as an annex to the lease.
The move-in day checklist
Below is the order of move-in inspection that this article compiled from the model's annexes and plumbing and electrical practice. These are not legally required items, but each one corresponds to something people often argue about at move-out. For an older home, you can use it together with the DIY home inspection checklist.
| Where | What to look at and photograph | Matching model item |
|---|
| Electricity, water and gas meters | Photograph the meter number and the full reading, and write down the date; also photograph the sub-meter for a sublet room | Article 5, agreement on water, electricity and gas fees |
| Ceiling, wall corners, window frames | Water stains, wall efflorescence and peeling (壁癌), mold spots, cracks; take a wide shot and a close-up | Annex 1, item 5, leaks |
| Kitchen and bathroom water supply and drainage | Run hot and cold water at every faucet, run water down the drain holes to see whether they drain freely, and flush the toilet once to see whether it backs up or leaks | Annex 1, item 9, water supply and drainage |
| Water heater, gas stove | Photograph the brand, model and installation location, and test the ignition; note where the water heater is installed and whether it is ventilated | Annex 1, item 12, accessory equipment |
| Air conditioner, refrigerator, washing machine | Photograph the model and appearance, actually run them, and check whether the air conditioner remote control is there | Annex 1, item 12, accessory equipment |
| Sockets, switches, light fixtures | Plug a small appliance into each socket to confirm it has power, check that every light works, and photograph the outside of the electrical panel (do not open the inside yourself) | Annex 1, item 12, light fixtures and so on |
| Door locks, windows, window screens | Number of keys, whether the door lock works smoothly, holes in the screens | This article suggests listing these separately under accessory equipment |
| Residential fire alarm | Whether one is installed and where, and whether it sounds when you press the test button | Annex 1, item 4, fire safety equipment |
| Floors, walls, furniture | Scratches, nail holes, stains and cabinet hinges; photograph them | The "photos as evidence" note in the model |
A note to item 4 of Annex 1 of the model says that for a residence that is not required to have an automatic fire alarm system, the owner must install and maintain a residential fire alarm under Article 6, paragraph 5 of the Fire Services Act. If you see that a room has no alarm, you can ask the landlord to install one.
How to take photos that are useful
The purpose of the photos is to let a third person see that "it was like this when I moved in". The following is this article's suggested method:
- Take one wide shot of each space first, then close-ups of the problem spots, with a reference object (such as a coin or a tape measure) beside the close-up to show size.
- Turn on the time and location information in your phone camera, or include that day's newspaper or a phone clock screen in the photo.
- Record short videos of equipment tests, such as water coming out of a faucet, the air conditioner starting up or the water heater igniting.
- Share the photos and videos with the landlord that same day (through a messaging app or a cloud album) so the other side has a record of receiving them.
- Pick the key photos and print them or put them in a list, have both sides sign next to them, and attach them to the lease agreement.
Write down the water, electricity and gas readings and fees clearly
Article 5 of the model lists water, electricity, gas, internet and management fees as tick-box items, to be borne by the landlord, borne by the tenant or other. The model also provides that when electricity is charged by the number of units used, the parties may agree to charge each period at the "average price per unit for the period" on the electricity bill, or to charge a fixed amount per unit, but any part above the average price per unit for the period must be refunded at settlement. When it is not charged by the number of units used, the total electricity charge the landlord collects each period may not exceed the total electricity charge for the period on the electricity bill for that rental property.
The readings you write down at move-in are the starting point for the first billing period. For disputes about meters and electricity charges in sublet suites, see Is charging NT$6 per unit of electricity legal in a sublet suite? and Common water and electricity disputes in sublet suites and rooms. If you want to put the water, electricity and gas in your own name, see How to transfer water, electricity and gas when moving for the process.
If you find problems, deal with them before moving in
If you see leaks, poor drainage or broken equipment during the inspection, the condition confirmation form already asks you to tick how it will be handled: landlord repairs before handover, tenant repairs, handed over as is, or other. This article suggests writing down on the spot which one is chosen, rather than only saying verbally that it will be fixed later.
Damage that happens after move-in, who repairs it and what to do if the landlord does not repair it are questions of repair responsibility, which this site already covers in full: Who pays when plumbing or electrical fails in a rental, What to do if the landlord will not repair plumbing or electrical, and Who pays to fix a toilet or replace a light tube in a rental. For the order of steps in a sudden leak or tripped breaker (power trip), see What to do about a leak or tripped breaker in a rental.
What not to do yourself: do not open the inside of the electrical panel, remove gas pipes or move the water heater yourself; ask the landlord to have a qualified plumbing and electrical or gas company handle these. If you smell gas, follow the steps in What to do about a gas leak.
Frequently asked questions
What if the landlord is unwilling to do the handover together?
At move-in you can take photos and video yourself and send them to the landlord that same day to leave a record. At move-out, Article 12 of the rental housing act provides that if one side does not attend the handover and the other side sets a reasonable period and urges them, and they still do not attend, the handover is deemed completed. So urge them in a way that leaves a record, such as a text message, a messaging app or a certified letter (存證信函).
How many months of security deposit can a landlord charge at most?
Article 7 of the rental housing act provides that the security deposit may not exceed 2 months of total rent. The notes in the model also suggest that when the deposit is paid or returned, the landlord should sign a receipt or note on the lease agreement that it has been received, and for bank transfers you should keep the receipt.
Do I have to use the Ministry of the Interior's form for the move-in inspection?
Not necessarily. The model is for reference, but the items in the Annex 1 condition confirmation form already cover illegal construction, leaks, fire safety, water supply and drainage, and accessory equipment, so using it directly is the easiest. A checklist you make yourself is also fine; the key is that both sides sign, the date is noted, and photos are attached.
If the landlord deducts from my security deposit at move-out and we cannot agree, who can I go to?
Under Article 16 of the rental housing act, you can apply to the special municipality or county (city) government where the residence is located for mediation, with no mediation fee. Before going, organize the move-in and move-out photos, the handover records and the messages between you.
Last updated: 2026-10-30
This article was compiled by SOSfix editors from public information and is for general reference only. For your own case, contact the land administration or residential leasing authority of the special municipality or county (city) where you live, a lawyer, or legal aid channels.
Sources
- National laws and regulations database (全國法規資料庫): act on the development and management of the rental housing market (amended February 8, 2023; verified 2026-10-30, in Chinese): Article 7 deposit cap and return, Article 8 condition at handover and explanation of repairs, Article 12 handover and items left behind, Article 16 free mediation.
- Executive Yuan consumer protection office (行政院消費者保護處): standard contract model, model residential lease agreement (amended by Ministry of the Interior letter No. 11302639334 (台內地字) of July 8, 2024; verified 2026-10-30 as still this version, in Chinese): the current version of the model; the attached PDF is the same as the reposted version in the next entry.
- Reposted by Changhua County land administration offices (彰化縣地政機關): Ministry of the Interior model residential lease agreement (amended by letter No. 11302639334 (台內地字) of July 8, 2024, in Chinese): review period of at least 3 days, Article 4 deposit, Article 5 water, electricity and gas fees and how electricity is charged, Article 14 handover on return, annex list, the 12 items of the Annex 1 condition confirmation form, notes on photos at move-in and item-by-item inspection at move-out, suggestion on deposit receipts.
- Taipei City Department of Land Administration (臺北市政府地政局): July 2024 monthly bulletin of land administration laws (in Chinese): confirms that the Ministry of the Interior's letter of July 8, 2024 amended the model residential lease agreement, and that items 6 and 11 of the required and prohibited terms were amended and announced the same day.
- Executive Yuan consumer protection office: required and prohibited terms for standard residential lease contracts (amended and announced 2025-04-18, in Chinese): the amendment history includes the July 8, 2024 amendment of items 6 and 11 (electricity charges), and the most recent amendment of item 18 (tenant early termination of the lease) announced by letter No. 1140113583 (台內地字) on April 18, 2025.
Related reading: Taiwan Rent Tax Deduction: NT$180,000 Cap and Exclusions · Taiwan Rental Deposit: 2-Month Limit, Refunds, Deductions · Tenant Household Registration in Taiwan: Legal Rights Guide · Taipei Rental Plumbing & Electrical Check Before Signing
