[Must-see when renting a house] Who pays for repairing toilets and replacing light bulbs? Understand the "Rights and Responsibilities of Rental Housing Repairs" in one form, so don't quarrel with the landlord again!

Foreword: Renovation disputes - a touchstone of the rental relationship

In Taiwan's rental market, "repair issues" have been among the top three disputes for many years. The toilet is blocked, the air conditioner is broken, and the ceiling is leaking. These trivial matters often turn into legal battles between landlords and tenants. What exactly should the landlord pay for? What is the tenant’s responsibility? This article will clarify the legal boundaries for you based on the Civil Code and the Rental Housing Market Development and Management Regulations.

Section 1: Legal Principles - The Landlord is the First Responsible Person

According to Articles 423 and 429 of the Civil Code, unless otherwise expressly agreed in the contract, the landlord (lessor) has the obligation to maintain the leased property in a "condition suitable for the agreed use".

• Landlord’s responsibility area: The structure of the house (such as wall cracks, leaks in the attic), basic water and electricity pipelines (old wires, broken water pipes), and the home appliances included in the contract (original air conditioners, refrigerators, gas stoves).
• Tenant Responsibility Area: Damage caused by tenant’s negligence and improper use (such as things falling into the toilet, pets scratching the sofa). In addition, "consumables" such as light bulbs, batteries, and filters are usually borne by the tenant in practice.

Section 2: Analysis of common repair dispute situations

In order to facilitate readers' judgment, we have summarized it as follows:

• Clogged toilet: The landlord is responsible for damage to natural parts (such as a broken float); the tenant (man-made) is responsible for the obstruction of foreign objects.
• Air conditioning failure: The landlord is responsible for the loss of refrigerant due to aging of the compressor; the tenant (improper maintenance) is responsible for the failure caused by not washing the filter for a long time.
• Wall seepage: Water leaks upstairs or exterior wall seepage (structural problems) are the responsibility of the landlord.
• The lamp does not work: It is a daily consumable item and is usually the responsibility of the tenant (depending on the contract).
• Circuit tripping: The landlord is responsible for aging wires and main box failures; the tenant is responsible for overloading caused by privately connecting large power equipment.

Section 3: SOP Procedures for Repair Problems

When damage occurs, please follow the following steps to protect your own rights and interests:

1. Notification Obligation: Tenants should notify the landlord "immediately" if they discover problems. If the damage is magnified due to failure to report it (for example, a small water seepage turns into flooding in a neighbor), the tenant may be held liable.
2. Evidence records: Take photos, videos, and leave written records via Line or email to ensure the traceability of the communication process.
3. Request for repairs: Give the landlord "reasonable time to make repairs."
4. Repair and deduct rent: If the landlord still refuses to handle the problem after being reminded, the tenant can find a plumber to repair the problem on his own in accordance with Article 430 of the Civil Code, and ask the landlord to pay the fee or deduct it from the next month's rent (note: the invoice must be kept, and it is limited to "necessary" repair fees).

Section 4: The "Special Clause" Trap in the Contract

Many leases will state that "the tenant shall be responsible for any damage to equipment." Before signing, tenants should be aware that if such clauses do not specify a maximum repair amount, the tenant may have to bear expensive air-conditioning repair costs. It is recommended to add when signing the contract: "Small repairs (such as consumables under $500) will be borne by the tenant, while major repairs will be the responsibility of the landlord."

Conclusion: Integrity and communication are the best medicine

The law is the final bottom line. A good rental relationship is based on mutual understanding between both parties: the landlord should ensure that the tenant can live with peace of mind, and the tenant should maintain the rental property as much as they care for their own belongings. Transparent communication and reasonable contract agreements can reduce maintenance disputes by more than 90%.

New knowledge on air-conditioning power consumption and Taiwan climate maintenance regulations in recent years (2025-2026 current situation)

With the high temperatures in summer breaking historical records and the adjustment of electricity price structure in recent years, the latest statistics from the Energy Administration of the Ministry of Economic Affairs show that air-conditioning equipment accounts for more than 47% of residential electricity consumption in summer. Many people mistakenly believe that if the air conditioner is not cold, they only need to "replenish the refrigerant." However, in fact, refrigerant is not naturally consumed during normal operation in a closed circuit. If the refrigerant is insufficient, it means that there are micro leaks in the copper pipes or joints. Simply replenishing the air conditioner will only treat the symptoms but not the root cause. Refrigerant leakage will aggravate the high temperature overload of the compressor and shorten its service life.

According to Taiwan's standard operating specifications for air-conditioning projects, it is recommended that professional technicians with a refrigeration and air-conditioning decoration technician license perform "full machine high-pressure water washing and evaporator deep sterilization" every 1 to 2 years for detached air-conditioning indoor units. Especially in the humid summer in the Shuangbei Basin, the air drum and water collection tray are easy to breed black mold and jelly-like biofilm. This is also the main reason for the sour smell in the air-conditioning outlet and the backflow of the drainage pipe. Regular maintenance can maintain CSPF (Air Conditioning Seasonal Performance Factor) level one energy efficiency level, which can save an average household 15% to 20% of air conditioning electricity bills every year.

Autonomous simple maintenance vs professional maintenance safety red line

• Homeowners can do by themselves: Remove and clean the nylon filter regularly every 2 to 3 weeks (rinse with clean water and dry in a cool place, do not expose it to the sun to avoid deformation and embrittlement); clean the air outlet blades of the indoor unit with a dry cloth; check whether there is any accumulation of debris within 50 cm around the outdoor unit that hinders heat dissipation.
• Professional technicians must be entrusted according to regulations: Refrigerant pressure testing and leakage repair welding, high-pressure cleaning of indoor unit air drums and aluminum fins with liquid chemicals, reset of the drainage slope of hidden cold water pipes in the ceiling, and 220V dedicated power circuit configuration and leakage circuit breaker replacement.