Qing'an 3.0 Includes Wealth Exclusion and Age Limits: Who Qualifies? What Are the Penalties for Straw Buyers and Subletting?

The Executive Yuan has approved the 'Qing'an 3.0' housing loan program, which increases loan amounts for newlywed and parenting families while strengthening post-loan management to prevent abuse through straw buyers, subletting, or converting homes to commercial use. The Ministry of Finance stated that if violations or non-owner-occupancy use are discovered, subsidized interest will be reclaimed to prevent favorable loans from being used as tools for property speculation.

The new program expands subsidies while enhancing post-loan audits. Qing'an 3.0 is scheduled to take effect on August 1, increasing the maximum loan amount from the current NT$10 million to NT$12 million for families newly married within two years, and up to NT$15 million for married families with minor children. However, concerns remain about whether the increased loan limits could be exploited by investors.

In response, the Ministry of Finance emphasized that the new program does not merely increase loan amounts but also introduces wealth exclusions, age restrictions, and property price caps by region, along with stricter post-loan monitoring. If borrowers are found using straw buyers, subletting properties, or using homes for business purposes, government-owned banks will reclaim the subsidized interest.

To date, the Ministry of Finance reports that as of the end of May, banks have audited cases of subletting and non-owner-occupancy, reclaiming subsidies from 10,864 cases totaling over NT$251.46 million. Most of these cases date back to the earlier 'Qing'an 1.0' period, when interest subsidies were smaller and audit mechanisms less rigorous. Many long-term violations have only recently surfaced as banks have intensified their reviews.

The Ministry stressed that Qing'an is not intended for investors. Vice Minister Ruan Qinghua stated that the core purpose of the Qing'an policy is to help people without homes achieve owner-occupancy, not to enable investment, subletting, or arbitrage. He emphasized that after the revised program launches, the government will 'continue and persistently investigate' cases involving straw buyers, subletting, and commercial use.

Ruan also noted that Qing'an 3.0 includes conditions such as annual personal income below NT$2 million, applicants under 50 years of age, and property price ceilings by city and county, aiming to reserve resources for first-time homebuyers and family households with genuine housing needs.

Going forward, the Ministry will continue requiring state-owned banks to rigorously verify post-loan compliance, including whether borrowers actually reside in the property, whether it is rented out, and whether loans were obtained under borrowed names. If false or non-compliant cases are found, subsidized interest will be reclaimed, and further actions will be taken per regulations.

With the real estate market experiencing reduced transaction volumes and stable prices, and the central bank maintaining credit controls, the Ministry believes that if Qing'an 3.0 is paired with strict audits, it can reduce policy abuse risks and return preferential loans to their original intent: helping young people and parenting families secure stable housing.