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Looking for an Apartment
Signing a Housing Rental Contract
Renewal of Contract
Cancellation of Contract
Repairs and Alterations to the Apartment
Subletting
Prefectural Housing
Municipal Housing
Promotion of Employment Housing
Moving In / Out
Electrical Goods
Heating
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Signing a Housing Rental Contract
Once you have decided on housing it is time to sign a rental contract. The contract will be in complex, legal Japanese.
Normally contracts are for a period of 2 years. The monthly rent and amendment procedures, early vacation procedures, and responsibilities for repairs, etc. should be covered in the contract. By making sure that you understand all of these at the time of signing you should be able to avoid problems in the future.
Contracts often require a guarantor (usually a Japanese national) and designate down payments and deposits necessary to move into the property (see below). Additionally, it is most likely you will be asked to affix your name seal rather than sign the contract.
◆[Key Money] (Reikin or Kenrikin)
Payable to the landlord, this key money is non-refundable. Be prepared to pay at least one month’s rent.
◆[(Security) Deposit] (Shikikin or Hoshokin)
Payable to the landlord, this refundable deposit is normally equal to about 1~2
months’ rent. On vacation of the property the deposit should be returned to you
minus any rent arrears and charges for repairs and refurbishments.
◆[Brokerage Fee] (Assenryo or Chukairyo)
Payable to the estate agent, this is a handling fee for the introduction. Normally you will be charged the equivalent of about 1 month’s rent.
◆[Deposit / Down Payment] (Tetsukekin or Moshikomikin)
This deposit is used to hold the property until completion of the contract. Once the contract is completed the money will be put towards rent.
◆[Rent] (Yachin)
Rent is normally paid a month in advance by the end of each preceding month. When a contract starts mid-month that month’s rent will be calculated on a daily pro-rata basis. Rent can be paid in person to the landlord, by bank transfer, or by direct debit ( >> Direct Debit, >> Bank Transfers ). You may have no choice in the matter, in which case you will have to use the method specified by the landlord.
◆[Management / Common Services Fee] (Kyoekihi)
In some instances you may be required to pay an additional “common services fee”. This covers the management and maintenance of the building’s common areas.
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