What happens on deposit mediation day: the process, what to bring, and what the agreement is worth

The demand letter went out, the 7 days passed, and still no transfer. The next step is not the courthouse but the district office. Every township and district office has a mediation committee: applying is free, no lawyer is needed, and once an agreement is approved by the court it has the same force as winning a lawsuit. This is Part 4 of the deposit series, walking through that day from start to finish.

01Step 1: apply for mediation (free)

Go to the mediation committee at the township or district office where the rental property is (not where you live now). Fill in the application: both parties' names and addresses, the facts (deposit amount, move-out date, landlord has not returned it) and what you ask for (return of NT$○○).
There is no fee. Many district offices accept applications by post or online; call first.
The office schedules a session, usually within about 15 days, and both sides receive a notice.
The legal basis is Article 10 of the Township and County-Administered City Mediation Act: civil disputes can be brought to the committee by either party.

02Step 2: what to bring on the day

The lease (original or copy) and the deposit receipt or transfer record.
Move-in and move-out photos and videos (printed or on your phone; printed is easier to page through).
A copy of the demand letter and the post office return card.
Chat records with the landlord (print the LINE screenshots).
Your ID card and personal seal. An agreement is signed and stamped on the spot.
Print the evidence twice: one set for the mediators, one for the landlord to see.

03Step 3: what happens in the mediation room

One to three mediators run the session. They are not judges and the mood is far more relaxed than a courtroom. Each side tells its version once, the mediators look at the evidence, ask questions and propose a solution, for example "the landlord keeps NT$2,000 for cleaning and transfers the remaining NT$28,000 within 10 days". You can accept, counter, or decline.

Stick to the point: the deposit amount, the handover date, that nothing has been returned, and why you reject the deductions. One or two minutes, then let the evidence talk.
When the landlord claims deductions, ask for photos and quotes. If there are none, ask the mediator to note that the landlord cannot prove the damage.
Agreement reached: both sides sign a mediation agreement stating the amount and the payment deadline.
No agreement: ask the mediator for a certificate of failed mediation, and keep it.

04Step 4: after court approval, the agreement equals a final judgment

Once an agreement is reached, the office sends it to the competent court for review within 10 days (Articles 25 and 26 of the Mediation Act). After approval, the agreement has the same effect as a final judgment (Article 27), which makes it an enforcement title under Article 4 of the Compulsory Enforcement Act. If the landlord misses the deadline, you do not sue; you take the approved agreement to the court's civil enforcement division and apply for enforcement against their bank accounts or rental income.

Judicial Yuan (compulsory enforcement, sample pleadings) — Information on every district court's civil enforcement division
Township and County-Administered City Mediation Act (Laws & Regulations Database)

05If the landlord does not show up

Mediation cannot force the other side to attend. If the landlord does not come, the office sends a second notice; if they still do not come, mediation is deemed failed and you get the certificate. Then go to Part 5: apply to the court for a payment order for NT$500. If the landlord does not object within 20 days, it becomes final and can be enforced just the same.

06The rest of the deposit series

This guide is one of five in the deposit series. Every part has a reel on Instagram @lawbao.tw; comment the keyword under a reel and the full guide for that part lands in your DMs.

Part 1 | Landlord keeping your deposit? One legal move gets it back — Instagram reel
Part 2 | How to write a demand letter that works — Comment "信函" on the reel to get this link
Part 3 | Which deposit deductions are legal — Comment "耗損" on the reel to get this link
Part 4 | What happens on mediation day (this one) — Comment "調解" on the reel to get this link
Part 5 | A NT$500 payment order makes them pay — Comment "命令" on the reel to get this link

07Things to watch

Mediation is voluntary and nobody can force you to accept a proposal, but a reasonable compromise (say, conceding a small cleaning fee) often beats three more months of delay.
Put a specific date as the payment deadline in the agreement, never "as soon as possible".
City rental-dispute services and consumer ombudsmen exist too, but a district office agreement approved by the court is usually the most direct route.
The committee at either party's place of residence can also be used when both agree; the property's location is the least arguable choice.