TAIPEI (TVBS News) — People enjoy living in apartment complexes with excellent amenities. However, in Taiwan, the larger the public amenities area, the smaller the apartment unit due to the ratio of public amenities being calculated by dividing the area of public amenities by the total area of the building.
The higher the ratio of public amenities in an apartment complex, the more significant the common-use space becomes. However, this may result in smaller apartment units sold at premium real estate prices.
Also, particular spaces, such as fire ladders, are necessary for a building because of fire protection and other building regulations.
Therefore, finding a balance between public amenities and apartment size is critical in determining the market value of a property.
Legislator Kao Chia-yu pointed out that the average ratio of public amenities in new buildings had reached a record high of 35.9% as of October 2022. Some mansions even had ratios of shared amenities that were nearly 40%.
She suggested changing the system so that people could purchase the house without paying for amenities, not in their living space.
However, this is a complicated issue because of existing regulations.
Experts recommend that transparent information is essential, and potential house buyers should carefully read the contract to protect their rights.