To find an apartment or a house, you can either go through a real estate agent (fudoosan-gyosha), or do the hunting yourself from the lists of rentals in housing information publications. Please remember that you need to have a guarantor (hosho-nin) to vouch for you when signing a lease (keiyakusho).
Costs Involved
- Security / Cleaning Deposit (Bond Money) (shikikin): Equivalent to 2 - 5 months' rent, kept by the landlord/landlady during the term of residence to cover repairs and maintenance, and as collateral against failure on the part of the tenant to pay rents (refundable, with cleaning and repairing expenses subtracted)
- Key Money (reikin): Equivalent to 1 - 2 months' rent, paid to the landlord/landlady to show your appreciation of his/her renting you the apartment/house (non - refundable)
- Commission (tesuuryo): Equivalent to one month's rent, required by the real estate agent for services (non - refundable)
- Rent (yachin): to be paid one month in advance
Renewing/ Terminating a Lease
Leases (keiyakusho) are usually renewed (koshin) every two years, and such renewal may be accompanied by a slight rent increase. Give your landlord/landlady at least one month's notice before moving out, so as to leave him/her adequate time to arrange for the terminating procedures and to find a new tenant to fill your apartment/house. Failure to do so may result in a claim from the landlord/landlady for extra rent payment.
Rental Agreements
In order to rent an apartment, it is necessary to sign a rental agreement with a landlord or rental agency. It is important to be aware of your rights and responsibilities regarding rental agreements. Many problems arise because people do not take the time to read their agreement before they sign in. Follow these steps to help avoid problems.
- Before you enter into the agreement, be sure to visit the apartment and confirm the conditions under which you will be living. Try to find out what the environment is like during the day and at night, and if there is any difference between weekdays and weekends. Also note the traffic conditions around the apartment.
- Before you sign the contract, listen carefully to the explanation of the contract that the real estate agent is obliged to give you. Take careful note of the facilities that the agent agrees to provide (kitchen, bathroom, etc.) and make sure you understand your financial obligations (deposit money, etc.) upon entering into AND leaving the rental agreement.
- When you leave the apartment, you are obliged to leave it in the same condition as when you started to rent. You will be required to pay for any damage that you have caused to the apartment. However, if there has been damage to the fusuma, shoji, tatami, or wallpaper that can be considered "natural wear and tear", you should not be held responsible for repairing it. The value of these items is considered to depreciate naturally during the time a person is living in the apartment.
Topics: Accommodations
Relevant for: Newcomers, Residents
Please note: While all efforts have been made to offer accurate and up-to-date information on this site, the information is presented as a guideline and is subject to change without notification. Phone numbers, addresses, and/or policies may have changed since this page was created. Please contact the appropriate section of the City Hall for confirmation of information and city policies.
