The Department of Consumer Protection (DCP) of the Executive Yuan along with the Department of Land Administration of the Ministry of the Interior and the offices or departments of land administration of regional governments inspected 286 residence (housing) leasing contracts at 120 stores, including bookstores, commodity stores and the four major convenience store chains. The inspection results showed that 83 contracts sold in 38 stores were in fact old-version contracts. The DCP has requested the sales channels to withdraw the old-version contracts to maintain order in the leasing market.
Recently, many consumers reported that the content of commercially available residence (housing) leasing contracts are incompliant with the Mandatory and Prohibitory Provisions of Standard Contract for Residence Leasing (hereinafter referred to as the Mandatory and Prohibitory Provisions), and some contracts even severely infringe on the tenants' rights (such as overcharging deposits and transferring taxes). In order for landlords and tenants to be able to choose the correct sales channels for purchasing the new version contracts that are compliant with regulations, the DCP along with the Department of Land Administration of the Ministry of the Interior and the offices or departments of land administration of regional governments inspected 120 stores (including 80 bookstores and commodity stores, and 40 stores of the four major convenience store chains). The inspection results are as follows:
1. Overall inspection results
(1) 38 out of the 120 inspected stores sold old-version contracts, a percentage of 31.7%.
(2) A total of 286 contracts were displayed in the stores, among which 83 were old-version contracts, accounting for 29% of the total.
2. Chain channels that only displayed new-version contracts
The chain channels of the four major convenience stores, Stepping Stone Bookstore, Kingstone Bookstore, JSF, and new9ta displayed only the new-version contracts.
3. Chain channels that displayed old-version contracts
(1) 101 Stationery Paradise
7 out of the 9 stores inspected displayed old-version contracts; 21 out of the 38 contracts were old-version contracts.
(2) Jin Yuh Tarng Stationery
6 out of the 11 stores inspected displayed old-version contracts; 20 out of the 43 contracts were old-version contracts.
(3) Nobel Bookstore
1 out of the 2 stores inspected displayed old-version contracts; 3 out of the 7 contracts were old-version contracts.
(4) 9x9 Stationery Proficient
All 7 of the shops inspected displayed old-version contracts; 13 out of the 44 contracts were old-version contracts.
(5) ShowBa
1 out of the 7 stores inspected displayed old-version contracts; 1 out of the 13 contracts were old-version contracts.
(6) Kuang Nan Wholesale
1 out of the 9 stores inspected displayed old-version contracts; 1 out of the 18 contracts were old-version contracts.
4. Printing suppliers of the old-version contracts
The old-version contracts discovered in the inspection were printed by 20 suppliers.
The DCP reminds tenants that unfavorable terms in the old-version contracts, including “unspecified maximum amount for the security deposit and its return time,” “unjust transferring of taxes,” and “aggravated responsibilities for default by tenants” can infringe their own rights if signed carelessly. Please take the following steps before signing contracts to protect your own rights:
1. Choose the correct sales channels to purchase the new-version contracts for signing with landlords.
2. If landlords provide the leasing contract for signing, tenants shall check the articles of the contract one by one to see if they comply with the Mandatory and Prohibitory Provisions.
3. If landlords provide the old-version contracts that are incompliant with the regulations, tenants shall refuse to sign the contract and may report this to the competent authority.
The DCP reminds printing suppliers and sales channels that they must consider their corporate image and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) in addition to costs and revenue, take the initiative to call back and withdraw old-version contracts, and print and display new-version contracts to maintain order in the overall leasing market and protect landlords' and tenants' interests and rights.