Tenants Face a Dilemma When Landlords Reject Tax Filing and Rent Subsidy Claims

Taiwanese renters are caught between claiming available benefits and protecting their housing arrangements when landlords refuse to cooperate with tax filing or rental-subsidy applications.

One tenant wrote on Threads that listing rent as a deduction could nearly halve the tax payable, but said the landlord had clearly rejected both tax reporting and a subsidy application. The tenant was considering asking the landlord directly or filing anyway and then not renewing the lease.

Most commenters supported the tenant’s right to proceed, saying landlords should not block rental subsidies and tax filing. Others highlighted the practical risk: despite the government’s position that subsidy applications are a lawful tenant right and do not require landlord approval, a tenant who files could face a rent increase or lose the option to renew.

Some commenters urged renters to assess the entire lease. If the landlord initially set rent below surrounding market rates, they argued, that discount may already reflect tax costs passed on to the tenant. Whether to file, they said, should be considered alongside the overall rental terms.