When a rental dispute arises, many people immediately think:
"Good thing I kept the LINE conversation."
"I'm glad I took screenshots of those messages."
"I recorded that discussion. That should prove what happened, right?"
Whether the issue involves a security deposit dispute, unpaid rent, early lease termination, or repair responsibilities, many key facts are communicated through messages, phone calls, or face-to-face conversations.
So, can chat records, audio recordings, and screenshots actually be used as evidence?
The answer is yes. However, the content must be authentic, complete, and obtained lawfully. Otherwise, even a screenshot may not be persuasive in court.
What Does the Law Say?
Code of Civil Procedure, Article 352, Paragraph 2:
“A private document shall be produced in its original form. However, where only the validity or interpretation of the document is disputed, a copy or photocopy may be produced.”
✨ Plain Explanation: LINE conversations, emails, text messages, and screenshots may all be treated as documentary evidence.
In practice, courts do not always require the original message display. However, if the opposing party claims that the content has been altered, the court may require the original device, complete conversation records, or additional supporting evidence.
⚖️ Legal Source: Code of Civil Procedure Article 352 – Law.moj.gov.tw
Code of Civil Procedure, Article 359:
“1. The authenticity of a document may be established by comparison of handwriting or seals.
2. The court may order a party or a third person to produce documents for comparison.
3. The provisions governing inspection shall apply to the comparison of handwriting or seals.”
✨ Plain Explanation: If someone claims that a chat record has been fabricated or altered, the court can verify its authenticity through various methods.
For example, the court may review account information, mobile devices, communication records, or even order digital forensic examinations.
⚖️ Legal Source: Code of Civil Procedure Article 359 – Law.moj.gov.tw
Criminal Code Article 315-1:
“A person who commits any of the following acts shall be sentenced to imprisonment for not more than three years, detention, or a fine not exceeding NT$300,000:
1. Without justification, uses tools or equipment to observe or eavesdrop on another person's non-public activities, speech, conversations, or private body parts.
2. Without justification, secretly records another person's non-public activities, speech, conversations, or private body parts by means of audio recording, photography, video recording, or electromagnetic records.”
✨ Plain Explanation: If someone secretly installs recording equipment or records private conversations without being a participant in the conversation, that conduct may constitute the offense of interference with privacy.
In other words, evidence must not only be authentic—it must also be obtained legally.
⚖️ Legal Source: Criminal Code Article 315-1 – Law.moj.gov.tw
Communications Protection and Surveillance Act, Article 29:
“A person who intercepts another person's communications shall not be punished under any of the following circumstances:
1. Where authorized by law.
2. Where personnel of a telecommunications enterprise, public telecommunications network operator, or postal service provider act pursuant to applicable laws and regulations for the purpose of providing telecommunications, network, or postal services.
3. Where the person conducting the interception is a party to the communication or has obtained prior consent from one of the parties to the communication, and the interception is not conducted for an unlawful purpose.”
✨ Plain Explanation: If a person is one of the participants in the conversation and records it to protect their own legal rights, the recording is generally lawful.
Therefore, recordings of phone calls or in-person discussions between landlords and tenants often have evidentiary value in rental disputes.
⚖️ Legal Source: Communications Protection and Surveillance Act Article 29 – Law.moj.gov.tw
Can LINE Screenshots Really Be Used as Evidence?
Yes, but courts care about much more than whether a screenshot exists.
Courts typically consider:
- Whether the conversation is complete
- Whether the identities of the participants can be verified
- Whether the content appears altered or edited
- Whether there is supporting evidence
For example, if a tenant claims that the landlord agreed to return the security deposit and only presents a single message stating, "The deposit will be returned," the court may still ask:
- How much will be returned?
- When will it be returned?
- Were there any conditions attached?
A single statement often has limited evidentiary value.
On the other hand, complete conversations combined with lease agreements, bank transfer records, and other supporting documents are usually much more persuasive.
Is It Legal to Record Conversations?
This is one of the most common questions in rental disputes.
The simple rule is:
📌 If a person participates in the conversation, recording is generally allowed.
📌 If a person is not part of the conversation, secretly recording it is generally prohibited.
Examples of lawful evidence collection include:
✅ Recording a discussion between a landlord and tenant
✅ Recording a phone call regarding rent payments
✅ Recording negotiations about a security deposit refund
These situations are generally lawful because the person making the recording is a participant in the conversation.
However, secretly placing a recording device in a property or monitoring conversations between other people may violate the Criminal Code.
How Can Digital Evidence Be Made More Persuasive?
In practice, judges place significant weight on completeness.
📱 Preserve the Entire Conversation
Do not only save the sentence that appears favorable.
Keep the surrounding messages, dates, times, account information, and the complete conversation history whenever possible.
📄 Use Supporting Evidence
Examples include:
- Lease agreements
- Bank transfer records
- Rent receipts
- Emails
- Photos and videos
When multiple pieces of evidence support each other, credibility increases significantly.
📂 Preserve Original Records
Forwarded images or edited screenshots are easier to challenge.
Original devices, original chat records, and exported conversation files generally carry greater evidentiary value.
Are There Risks in Posting Screenshots Online?
Many people assume that because they participated in a conversation, they can freely publish it online.
That is not always true.
If the screenshots contain:
- Names
- Telephone numbers
- National ID numbers
- Addresses
- Other personal information
or if the purpose is to publicly shame the other party, additional legal issues may arise, including violations of personal data protection laws, defamation, or reputational harm claims.
Collecting evidence and publicly distributing it are two very different things.
Should Important Evidence Be Notarized?
For disputes involving larger amounts of money or situations where there is concern that messages may be deleted, notarizing digital evidence may be worth considering.
A notary public can review LINE conversations, emails, or text messages directly from the device and prepare a notarization record.
While notarization does not guarantee success in court, it can significantly reduce the likelihood of the opposing party later denying that the messages existed.
This is especially worth considering when the dispute involves substantial financial interests, anticipated litigation, or concerns about deleted evidence.
🕵️ Related Read: Why Should Landlords and Tenants Notarize a Lease in Taiwan?
🔍 Related Read: How to Prevent Landlords or Tenants From Swapping or Altering Lease Agreements in Taiwan
🐾 Related Read: What Is a Certified Mail Notice? When Should Landlords and Tenants Send One in Taiwan?
👻 Related Read: Are LINE, Email, and SMS Legally Valid Notices in Taiwan?
Conclusion
In rental disputes, chat records, audio recordings, and screenshots can generally be used as legal evidence. In many cases, these digital records play an important role in reconstructing what actually happened.
However, courts are not focused solely on whether a screenshot exists. What matters most is whether the evidence is complete, authentic, and lawfully obtained. Fragmented messages, missing context, or records with questionable origins often carry much less weight.
Therefore, when a dispute arises, the priority should not simply be taking a screenshot. Instead, preserve complete conversations, retain lease agreements and payment records, and build a collection of evidence that supports itself from multiple angles. The more complete the evidence, the better protected a party will be during negotiations, mediation, or court proceedings.
