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HOW TO FIND MY ACCOMMODATION IN JAPAN

1 Contact Gaisapp to estimate the necessary budget.
2 Search and visit apartments.
3 Mount your file with Gaisapp and move in.

For any question or request for a quote, contact us by email at [email protected]. Thank you!

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  • F.A.Q. Life in Japan

HOUSING AND LIVING IN JAPAN
YOUR QUESTIONS, OUR ANSWERS

Administrative issues

What conditions do I have to fulfill to rent?

To rent an apartment in Japan you must:

  • Possess a residence status, whether permanent or limited in time (minimum 1 year)
  • Justify of income allowing you to rent your apartment or, failing that, justify the income of your guarantor or the housing contractor

These are the two most important points for renting a property in Japan in a classic way. Whether you are a foreigner should not be a drag on your apartment search.

Although renting in Japan can be tedious, including for the Japanese themselves, Gaisapp is committed to help you and for that there are no mandatory conditions to have because each case is different. If you do not have resident status yet, we can still help you. Generally speaking, considering the costs of setting up a contract, it is generally recommended to have at least 3 times the price of your rent aside. If you plan to stay less than a year in Japan you should perhaps turn to alternative solutions to conventional rental.

It is usually difficult to rent an apartment in Japan without a work visa or a permanent visa, or at least evidence that you will stay at least 1 year in Japan. As a tourist, you can not rent a normal property (and we do not recommend it ...). If, however, you are frequently in Japan or plan to be there and wish to prepare for your incoming, Gaisapp can take out the rental agreement in his name and sub-let you the desired apartment at his normal rate plus our management fees.

This solution is nevertheless recommended only for certain profiles:

  • Entrepreneurs who want to settle in Japan
  • People with very frequent trips to Japan who want a real pied-à-terre on the spot

It is rare that a guarantor is not necessary to rent an apartment even to the Japanese. For some properties the real estate agency will accept that there is no guarantor if you pay a rent insurance company (保証会社 - hoshougaisha) who will take care of the costs in case of unpaid rent for example. It is often reassuring for the owner to know that a guarantor (if possible of Japanese nationality) is present in case of any problems. If you do not have a guarantor Gaisapp can provide you one according to the study of your file.

According to the owner it may be possible to rent with a guarantor who is not a Japanese national: if he is fluent in Japanese and / or lives in Japan for a long time he can vouch for you. This is to check with the agency. When in doubt you can always ask Gaisapp to be your guarantor for you to increase your chances of access to any property.

To validate your lease the following papers will be frequently requested:

  • Passport
  • Copy of residence certificate
  • Possibility of other documents for foreign residents (Resident Card / My Number...)
  • Employment contract or promise of employment (if you have not yet arrived in Japan)
  • Certificate of Student Status (if student visa)
  • Certificate of income (last Japanese tax sheet (確定申告書 - kakutei shinkokusho), or last 3 payslips (給与明細書 - kyuuyo meisaisho))
  • Certificate of professional work (in case of professional qualification such as: doctor, hairdresser, etc.)

A guarantor is also needed as well as a Japanese speaking emergency contact (it’s often necessary that the emergency contact is from Japanese nationality). If a guarantor can not be found, Gaisapp can act as guarantor to facilitate your efforts.

After confirmation from you want to rent the property, Gaisapp will call the real estate agency and send him a form to apply for the rental of the property. The agency will review the application: Allow about a week or more for an answer. Once the request has been validated, the day and time of recovery of the contract are defined as well as the date of payment of the moving expenses. When signing the contract, a sworn real estate agent will read the important points of the contract that will be confirmed with you. The contractor will then sign the contract.

Once you have signed your rental agreement and moved into your new home, you must notify the city hall of your area of your change of address. For example: If your new apartment is in the Takadanobaba district you will need to go to Shinjuku City Hall or its Takadanobaba Annex to register your new address. Gaisapp can do this for you if you wish or accompany you the first time to guide you.

Yes. The majority of leases are for 2 years, however it is possible to break your contract before its term. It is usually necessary to inform the management company 1 to 2 months in advance (according to your contract). However, you can leave the apartment at any time as long as you pay this extra month(s) of rent. The ideal is to anticipate your departure date to lose as little as possible.

Sometimes you may also have to pay additional fees if you want to stop the contrat in advance, these conditions are written into your contract and will be explainat when you will sign your lease.

For minors it is usually impossible to rent a property yourself. As a minor student, you need either have an adult in charge as a housing contractor, or use a company like Gaisapp to rent the property. Otherwise we advise you to prefer the guesthouse / sharehouse or the family stay.

Gaisapp can not sublet housing to a minor under the age of 18 living alone in Japan.

Real properties in Japan

The different types of properties in Japan

During your research you will have the choice between:

  • Apāto (アパート) : apartment in a building of 3 floors maximum, usually it is a building of 2 floors, similar to a house and with a wooden structure.
  • Mansion (マンション) : apartment in a building of more than 2 floors, you can have buildings of more than 20 floors in a reinforced concrete structure. Above 20 storeys the name Tower Mansion is generally used (タワーマンション).
  • Detached house – Ikkodate (一戸建) : house usually built with a wooden frame.

Information: in Japan the first floor, corresponds to the ground floor.

  • Washitsu (和室) : Traditional Japanese style room with tatami flooring and sliding doors.
  • Youshitsu (洋室) : Western-style room (without tatami).

The property advertisement often offer goods in square meters like ours, but you will also find the size of the pieces measured in tatami, said in "Jō" (帖: じょう).

1 Jō represents a surface of 91 cm x 182 cm or about 1.6 m².

For example:

  • 4,5 帖 = 7,2 m²
  • 5帖 = 8 m²
  • 6 帖 = 9,6 m²
  • 8 帖 = 12,8 m²
  • 12帖 = 19,2 m²

The Japanese use the measurement system "RSLDK" to describe the plan of a property whose meaning is:

  • R : Room
  • S : Service Room
  • L : Living Room
  • D : Dining Room
  • K : Kitchen
  • DR : Dressing Room
  • ワンルーム (One room) : Studio (space with one room)
  • バルコニー : Balcony

The number of pieces is expressed by the number in front of the letters above, which will give for example:

  • 1LDK : 1 bedroom, 1 living room, 1 dining room, 1 kitchen area
  • 2DK : 2 bedrooms, 1 dining room, 1 kitchen area
  • 4SLDK : 4 bedrooms, 1 living room, 1 dining room, 1 kitchen area, 1 storage room

To find your apartment quickly and in the best possible conditions, it is important to understand how the real estate business in Japan works. We will explain here the system in Tokyo which, as a capital city, has its own functioning. In Tokyo, supply is less important than demand. As a result, the best apartments are taken very quickly because the owners will always find someone to rent their property.

As you will understand, everything will be about the speed: the sooner you will apply to an apartment that interests you and the greater your chances of getting the apartment you want.

A furnished apartment will be as the name suggests furnished (bed, desk, chairs, washing machine, microwave, fridge, TV, etc.). The latter can be partially furnished or entirely. This can be an advantage if you stay in the medium term or you simply do not want to invest in furniture. It is important to note that a furnished apartment will always cost more than an unfurnished apartment (sometimes for the same area and in the same area you can expect 20,000 to 35,000 yen more rent per month). So think carefully about what is best for you over time: if you know that you will stay in your apartment for a long time, it may be better to take an unfurnished apartment with a much lower initial rent. Especially that it is possible to recover furniture cheaply, see free in Tokyo. In addition, you will always have more choices in unfurnished apartments. It can also be emphasized that sometimes on unfurnished apartments you may not have a deposit or key money to the owner to give, but this is also possible on furnished appartment. Gaisapp is committed to helping you find the best solution for your needs.

Costs incurred to rent in Japan

What costs will be needed to rent an apartment?

To rent an apartment in Japan, count in general:

  1. The first month of your rent (賃料 - Chinryo ou 家賃 - Yachin) : When renting a property you will have to pay the first month's rent in advance.
  2. The monthly management fee (管理費 - Kanrihi) : These are fees like monthly rental fee and they are added to the initial cost of rent. The fees range from 2,000 to 25,000 yen for a « standard » apartment. Sometimes there is no monthly management fee.
  3. The deposit (敷金 - Shikikin) : This is a deposit given to the owner when you move into the property. The deposit can be partially refunded to the tenant if you leave the property without damaging it. Upon signing the contract, it will be agreed a minimum amount of cleaning fees to be paid when you will leave the apartment. Count between 1 to 2 months’ rent (usually 1 month). Sometimes there is no deposit needed (usually in old buildings).
  4. The key money (礼金 - Reikin) : The reikin usually represents 1 month to 2 months’ rent. More and more homeowners offer their property without reikin, but the better the quality, the more likely you are to pay for it. Historically, during the post-war period, this money was paid to the owners to thank them for building the house and renting it. It became a habit since and many owners still ask for a reikin.
  5. Lock change fee (鍵交換費用 - Kagi Koukanhyo) : The costs incurred to change the lock of your future property. Each new tenant receives a new set of keys to his move. Count between 10,000 and 25,000 yen of fees. These fees are not systematic.
  6. The assurance fee (火災保険料 - Kasai Houkenryo) : The compulsory insurance to insure your property in case of fire, earthquake, tsunami, etc. Count generally between 15,000-25,000 yen for 2 years of insurance.
  7. Estate agency fee (仲介手数料 - Chuukai Tesuuryo) : These are the fees paid to the real estate agency for signing the lease. This is the equivalent of 1 month's rent (excluding management fees) plus 8% VAT.
  8. The cleaning fee (清掃費 - Seisouhi) : These are the costs incurred to clean your property before your move in. In general, count 30% of a month's rent. This sum is not systematic.

Remember that water, electricity and gas costs are not included in the price of your rent. Sometimes Internet or bike parking can be included, so let’s check what’s it’s included in your rent when you are looking for your apartment!

The gift to the owner called "礼金 (Reikin)" or "Key money" in English, is a sum of money paid to the owner to thank him for renting his property. Unlike the deposit, this sum is not returned. In addition, "key money" is not mandatory because it is not a legislative procedure.
To understand the origin of the gift to the owner, it is necessary to return to the post-war period: the people who had lost their home paid money to those who had lent them their home to thank them. The theory is that this habit of "gift to the owner" would have remained and become a custom. Recently, as rental property proposals have increased, tenant options have also increased. To encourage people to rent property there is more and more possibility to rent without key money, so it is possible that one day this tradition disappears. Gaisapp can help you find property without these fees.

Usually the rent is paid monthly, by direct debit, in cash, by credit card, or conbini. It is rare that he is paid every week. If you are having trouble paying by direct debit because you do not have an account in Japan, Gaisapp can act as an intermediary in making the payment for you.

These fees are rarely included in the rent (although this is possible) and vary depending on the size and condition of your property. You can pay your bills by direct debit or by going to the conbini.

For the Internet, it xill be between 2,500 to 7,000 yen / month, this varies depending on your subscription.

If you live alone in less than 30 square meters and you pay attention to your consumption you can estimate the water at 2,000-4,000 yen / month, the electricity at 3,000-10,000 yen, the gas at 2,000-4,000 yen. Gaisapp can help you estimate your costs and help you subscribe to your water, electricity, gas, internet, etc. contracts.

The cost of your contracts depends mainly on your use so our examples are only indicative.

Japan is a country where the risks of natural disasters are part of everyday life, so a housing insurance will be required (generally at least 15,000 yen for 2 years) in case of earthquake, tsunami, fire, etc.
Sometimes rent insurance is also required: in exchange for a sum of money the insurance company will take the place of the guarantor or compensate the absence of indemnity capacity of the guarantor. In the case where the guarantor is in poor physical condition or his income is low, etc., you may not be able to obtain a lease. In such cases, Gaisapp may put the renter in contact with an affiliated insurance company.

In the case of a usual rental the duration of the lease is 2 years in general. Following these two years if the tenant wishes to extend the rental of the property, it will be necessary to renew the contract. When renewing renewal fees will be requested, usually count 1 month's rent.

Consider the following factors if you want cheap rent: the age of the building (the older it is, the lower the rent will be but the quality of the property will be lower), its location (some popular neighborhoods are more expensive such Ginza, Roppongi, Omotesando, etc.), its distance from the train station (the longer the station is on foot, the lower the rent will be), the square meters of the property, etc. Depending on your goal Gaisapp will help you choose on what you focus on to find a property in your budget.

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