fine prints is illegal, but how fine is fine print? If your landlord tells you about it and you have put your initial underneath, then it is not illegal.

Okay, I will tell you possible ways out, but you have to find the relevant law. (My license is US not Taiwan, but the principle should be very similar) (1)The argument is that a housing contract typically just have terms of a typical housing contract. The term that you are concerned with is not typically in the contract. Any additional terms that is not common in a contract require a separate consideration (i.e. bargained for exchange) or should have been in a separate contract in the first place. Since there was no additional consideration, the addition term is invalid. Note: In the US you can't just have any weird stuff in the contract since most contract nowadays has a standard form, but I don't know about Taiwan. You need to ask. The fine print thing is important. Let's say if your landlord purposely knock off your rent by a significant amount so that you suppose to find a tenant for him, than the contract could valid. But the burden of proof is on your landlord. However, even that is weird and should have been in a separate contract. (2) fine print is illegal. (3) If you are a foreigner or don't know Chinese, slipping in unusual term is not a good act of good faith. Lack of good faith could be a ground for dismissing a contract.