[Must-see for leasing and hosting landlords] Social housing repair subsidy of up to 10,000 yuan per year! Teach you step by step how to apply to minimize the cost of pipeline renovation and equipment upgrades

The daily pain point of landlords: expensive property maintenance and repair costs

Landlords who own and rent out houses in Taipei City and New Taipei City often face unexpected repair expenses caused by damage to old equipment and aging water and electricity pipes. The air conditioner is not cold, the water heater is broken, or even the walls are leaking. Every time a plumber comes to repair and replace equipment, it often costs thousands to tens of thousands of yuan, which directly eats up the net monthly rental income. In order to solve this operational pain point, in recent years many landlords in the greater Taipei area have chosen to put their properties into the "Social Housing Rental Management Program". In addition to enjoying comprehensive income tax exemptions and land value tax and housing tax discounts, the government also provides a very practical financial subsidy - Residential Repair Subsidy. As long as landlords know how to apply for this fee flexibly, they can significantly reduce the cost of updating and daily repairs of old houses.

Fact check: New repair subsidy system for the fifth phase of the chartered hosting plan

The social housing leasing and hosting project is currently in its fifth phase. In order to meet more detailed market rental needs, the government has adjusted the maximum amount of repair subsidies based on different project types and tenant status:

• Leasing plan (the operator rents from the landlord and then sublets): If the tenant is an ordinary household, the maximum annual subsidy is NT$ 10,000; if the successfully matched tenant is a disadvantaged household (the first or second category is referred to as a disadvantaged status), the subsidy amount is increased to the maximum annual subsidy of NT$ 15,000.
• Escrow plan (the operator assists in matching, and the landlord and the tenant directly sign a contract): If the tenant is a general household, the maximum annual subsidy is NT$ 8,000; if it is a disadvantaged household, the maximum annual subsidy is NT$ 10,000.

[Application Restriction Facts] This subsidy is determined based on the "house number". If the contract between the landlord and the property owner lasts for 3 years, you can reapply once every year, and you can enjoy a maximum repair subsidy of NT$30,000 to NT$45,000 in the three years, which is an excellent resource subsidy for water and electricity repairs in old houses.

What is the scope of subsidies? Which repair projects can be written off?

The government has clear regulations on the scope of social housing repair subsidies, focusing mainly on projects that "maintain the basic living functions and safety of the house":

1. Plumbing and Electrical Plumbing Updates: This is a hidden project. For example, old hot and cold water pipes were replaced with stainless steel crimped pipes, distribution boxes were rearranged and non-fusible circuit breakers (NFB) were replaced, and new sockets were added.
2. Waterproofing and bathroom renovation: Repair of the waterproof layer of the roof platform, anti-leakage project of the exterior wall, treatment of old wall cancer, and replacement of toilets, sinks, and shower faucets in the bathroom.
3. Home security upgrades:The gas water heater was replaced with a forced discharge water heater, a gas leak alarm was installed in the kitchen, and an anti-fall fence (invisible anti-fall net) was added to the room.
4. Large home appliances and furniture updates: Basic facilities such as air conditioners, refrigerators, washing machines, range hoods, sinks, wardrobes and bed sets are necessary for rental properties.

Note: The scope of subsidy does not include the "common parts" of the building (such as community public elevators, exterior walls) or luxury decoration projects that are not necessary for daily life.

Step-by-step application tutorial: How can landlords prepare the materials to successfully receive subsidies?

A special reminder is that landlords cannot submit applications to the county and city governments themselves, and all verification processes must be entrusted to the cooperative "Social Housing Rental Service Company (Leasing and Escrow Management Company)" to assist. The application process is as follows:

Step 1: Take photos and document them before construction. Before the plumber comes in or new equipment is delivered, clear photos must be taken of the old damaged condition. Such as rusty water pipes, moldy wall cancer or an old air conditioner that doesn't work.

Step 2: Entrust qualified vendors to perform construction and issue invoices. The landlord can find a trusted water and electricity company or equipment supplier for construction, but the manufacturer must be registered as a profit-making enterprise, and the invoice or receipt issued must have the "manufacturer's unified number" and "detailed product name and quantity" on the invoice or receipt. If the invoice only states "project price for one type", a detailed quotation must be attached as supporting evidence.

Step 3: Take photos after construction and submit them to the hosting company. After completion, take photos from the same angle and keep them as certificates. Deliver the "before and after repair photos", "original legal unified invoice/receipt", "landlord's consent for repairs" and "copy of bankbook" to your escrow specialist. The operator will compile them and send them to the municipal development bureau or construction management office. Disbursements are usually made directly to the landlord's bank account within approximately 1 to 3 months after delivery.

Conclusion: Make good use of government resources to achieve asset-light property management

For landlords, participating in the social housing project can not only achieve passive income through stable rents, but also enable them to replace the aging wires, old water pipes and high energy-consuming appliances in the house with new safe and energy-saving equipment through the government's annual repair subsidy of up to 10,000 to 15,000 yuan. This not only ensures the safety of electricity and water for tenants, and greatly reduces neighbor damage disputes caused by leaking pipelines, but also virtually increases the long-term asset value and resale market of the house. This is a golden property management strategy that can effectively reduce operating expenses (OpEx) and is worthy of in-depth study and adoption by every landlord in Greater Taipei.

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.