Signing a lease agreement is a very important step in the rental process in Taiwan. To protect tenant rights, the Consumer Protection Act and relevant authorities have established a “review period system” for rental agreements provided by corporate landlords.
According to regulations, the review period for lease agreements must be at least three days. Even if the contract does not specify this period, the tenant is still legally entitled to a minimum of three days to review the agreement. This time allows tenants to thoroughly examine the contract before signing, helping avoid rushed decisions due to an imbalance of information and preventing potential future disputes.
What Is a Standardized Contract? Who Is Entitled to the Three-Day Review Period?
A standardized contract refers to a pre-drafted agreement created by one party and accepted by the other. According to Article 11 of the Consumer Protection Act, when a business operator provides a standardized contract, it must be made available for review before signing, and the consumer must not be forced to sign immediately.
In rental practice, if the lessor is a corporate landlord (for example, a professional landlord, or a real estate company or corporate owner that owns and rents out property), the lease agreement they provide is considered a standardized contract and must comply with the "Mandatory and Prohibited Clauses for Residential Lease Agreements" as announced by the competent authorities.
If the lease is provided by a property management company acting as a sublessor (i.e., a second landlord), then the applicable regulations are the "Mandatory and Prohibited Clauses for Residential Sublease Agreements."
Both regulations clearly stipulate:
📌 The lease agreement must state that the tenant is entitled to a minimum three-day review period.
This three-day review period is classified as a mandatory clause. If a corporate landlord or property management company fails to include it, or asks the tenant to waive this right, it will be deemed a violation, and the landlord may be penalized by the authorities.
🕯️ Further reading: What's the difference between individual and corporate landlords?
💀Further reading: What are mandatory and prohibited clauses?
How Is the Review Period Calculated? When Does the Three Days Begin?
According to Article 120, Paragraph 2, and Article 121, Paragraph 1 of the Civil Code:
- When the period is calculated in days, the starting day (the day the contract is delivered) is not counted.
- The three following days are counted as the official review period.
For example, if landlord Mr. Chang gives the lease agreement to the tenant on January 1, the three-day review period begins on January 2 and continues until January 4. This means the earliest the agreement can be officially signed is January 5.
Tenants Must Not Be Asked to Waive the Review Period
Tenants should never believe statements like:
“Sign it first, take it home and review it. We can make changes if needed.”
Once signed, it means you’ve agreed to the contract terms and the rental conditions. If you later change your mind and choose not to rent, unless the issue is the landlord’s fault, it could result in legal consequences, and you might not be able to get your deposit refunded. Therefore, tenants must carefully examine the agreement before signing and clearly discuss all details with the landlord.
Some landlords may even include a clause in the agreement stating that the tenant waives the review period.
Landlords, be warned: this is clearly illegal.
According to the Consumer Protection Act and government guidelines, if a standardized contract contains any of the following, they are classified as prohibited clauses:
- Clauses stating that the tenant waives the review period;
- Clauses requiring immediate signing without time to review;
- Clauses that exempt the landlord from related responsibilities.
All of the above are legally invalid, and corporate landlords may face penalties from the competent authorities.
Why Tenants Should Make Use of the Review Period
Many tenants, due to eagerness to move in or out of trust, often sign contracts hastily without carefully reviewing the terms. They later discover that the contract is unfavorable, for example:
- The contract places all repair responsibilities on the tenant;
- Excessive rent adjustment or penalty clauses;
- Unclear or vague terms for deposit refunds.
Once signed, the contract becomes legally binding. If you later regret it, unless there is a major defect in the contract, you may not be able to recover your deposit and may even face a legal dispute.
It is strongly recommended that tenants do the following during the review period:
- Carefully read the contract, line by line;
- Fully communicate with the landlord about unclear terms;
- If in doubt, consult a legal advisor or contact a consumer protection agency.
Conclusion: The Review Period Makes Signing More Reassuring
The review period is an important mechanism that protects tenants in the rental process. It gives tenants sufficient time to carefully examine the contract and avoid future problems.
Landlords may not force tenants to give up this right, and tenants should make full use of the three-day review period to ensure the agreement complies with the law and fits their needs.
Most importantly: Don’t rush to sign. Give yourself a little more time to think, so that the rental process can proceed smoothly and with peace of mind.
