What are the average moving-out costs? Japan Rental Property Guide for Foreigners
When moving out of a rental property in Japan, you may be charged "moving-out fees."
Moving-out fees are a common source of conflict even among Japanese people, so it is important to fully understand the details beforehand.
In this article, we will explain the average moving-out costs for rental properties in Japan, ways to reduce these costs, and how to resolve disputes over moving-out costs.
1.Basic knowledge of moving-out costs
First, let's explain the basics of what move-out fees are for rental properties in Japan.
What are move-out costs?
Move-out expenses are the fees that a tenant pays to the landlord when moving out of a rental property.
While move-out costs include house cleaning fees, the main item is the cost of restoring the property to its original condition.
Tenants must return the room to its original condition upon vacating. This is called "restoration to original condition."
Since the obligation to restore the property to its original condition is included as part of the lease agreement, the tenant is obligated to pay the costs of restoring the property to its original condition. This is called the "obligation to restore the property to its original condition."
Share of burden of moving-out expenses
While tenants have an obligation to restore the property to its original condition, to what extent are they required to return the room to its original state?
Because this issue often leads to problems, Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has provided an explanation in its " Guidelines on Disputes Regarding Restoration to Original Condition ."
According to this, any damage or stains caused by the tenant's intentional actions or negligence must be restored to their original condition.
However, tenants are not obligated to bear the cost of wear and tear or damage resulting from aging or normal use.
[Guidelines for the proportion of costs to be borne when moving out]
| Classification of damage and wear | example | Cost bearer | explanation |
| Damage caused by the tenant's intentional acts or negligence. | Large scratches or holes, stains from cigarette tar, etc. | borrower | The tenant shall bear the cost of repairs for any damage caused by the tenant's negligence or intentional actions. |
| Wear and tear due to tenant's lack of maintenance. | Excessive dirt on the ventilation fan, etc. | borrower | The tenant shall bear the cost of any wear and tear exceeding normal levels due to insufficient maintenance or inadequate management by the tenant. |
Aging (Natural deterioration) | Fading and yellowing of wallpaper, etc. | landlord | Since deterioration due to the passage of time is included in the rent, the landlord is responsible for the cost. |
| Wear and tear from normal use | Wear and tear on flooring and tatami mats, etc. | landlord | As a general rule, the landlord is responsible for normal wear and tear that occurs during daily use. |
Relationship between security deposit and move-out costs
In Japan, when signing a lease agreement for a rental property, you are often required to pay a security deposit.
A security deposit is equivalent to a deposit in other countries, and as a general rule, move-out expenses are deducted from the security deposit.
However, if the move-out costs exceed the security deposit, the tenant must pay the difference in addition.
For more details about security deposits, please see " What are Security Deposits and Key Money in Japan? A Complete Guide to Successfully Signing a Rental Agreement ."
2.Average moving-out costs for rental properties
The amount of the move-out fee depends on a number of factors.
Here we will look at the factors related to moving out costs and explore the average cost of moving out.
Room layout and size
The moving-out fee also includes cleaning fees. The average cleaning fee is about 1,000 yen per square meter, so for a 30 square meter room, for example, it would be about 30,000 yen.
The average moving-out costs, including other costs for restoring the property to its original condition and repairs, are as follows:
[Estimated moving-out costs based on room layout and size]
| Floor plan | Size | Estimated moving-out costs |
| Studio to 1LDK | 20㎡ to 30㎡ | Around 50,000 yen |
| 2K to 2LDK | 30㎡〜40㎡ | Around 80,000 yen |
| 3LDK~ | 40㎡ and above | From 90,000 yen |
Years of residence
Generally, the longer you stay in a property, the higher the moving-out costs will be.
However, at the same time, as buildings age and deteriorate, the tenant's share of the burden tends to decrease.
Taking these points into consideration, the estimated moving-out costs based on the number of years you will live in the property are as follows:
[Estimated moving-out costs based on length of residence]
| Years of residence | Estimated moving-out costs |
| Within 2 years | Around 50,000 yen |
| 2 years to 6 years | Around 60,000 yen |
| 6 years ~ | Around 90,000 yen |
We have listed the approximate moving-out costs based on the size of the room and the number of years you have lived there, but these two amounts are not added together. Compare the two to get an idea of the average moving-out costs.
For example, if you live in a one-room apartment for two years, the estimated moving-out costs would be around 50,000 yen, but if you live in the same apartment for four years, the costs may rise to around 60,000 yen.
Repair costs
If the tenant damages any part of the room intentionally or through negligence, they must make repairs to restore it to its original condition.
In that case, the estimated costs are as follows:
[Estimated repair costs]
| Repair details | Causes of damage and wear | Average cost |
| Wallpaper replacement | Stains from cigarettes or other stains due to poor maintenance | 30,000 yen to 50,000 yen |
| Wall and ceiling board replacement | Holes or deep scratches on the wall, damage to part of the ceiling, etc. | 30,000 yen to 60,000 yen |
| Replacing flooring | Dent the floor, make deep scratches, etc. | 80,000 yen to 300,000 yen |
| Removing limescale and mildew | Cleaning and maintenance were neglected, resulting in significant water stains and mold. | 10,000 yen to 30,000 yen |
| Replacing the ventilation fan (range hood) | The ventilation fan was severely soiled due to neglect of cleaning and maintenance. | 10,000 yen to 50,000 yen |
For properties that allow pets
Unless your rental property in Japan allows it, you are not allowed to keep pets.
According to the "Guidelines and Troubles Regarding Restoration to Original Condition," scratches and stains caused by pets in rental properties in Japan are not considered to be wear and tear due to normal use, and as a general rule, the tenant must restore the property to its original condition at their own expense.
For example, if pet odors have permeated the wallpaper, it may be necessary to completely replace it.
For this reason, rental properties that allow pets often have a high security deposit, and most contracts also include special clauses about restoring the property to its original condition upon moving out. Please check the terms in advance.
In the case of public housing
In Japan, the moving-out costs for public housing are often higher than for regular rental properties, with the average cost said to be between 300,000 and 600,000 yen.
The reason why moving out of public housing is expensive is because the cost of restoring the property to its original condition includes wear and tear caused by aging and normal use.
For example, in a typical rental property, fading of wallpaper or flooring is considered normal wear and tear and the tenant is not obligated to pay for it. However, in public housing, such expenses are also the tenant's responsibility.
Because the rent for public housing is set low, the scope of restoration to the original condition is also set broadly.
However, the extent to which restoration is required varies depending on the local government, so please check in advance.
3.Points to note to avoid disputes over moving-out expenses
Moving-out fees can be troublesome because you may be charged fees that you never expected.
We will explain what tenants can do in advance to avoid any problems when moving out.
Use a multilingual real estate agency
Foreigners should use a real estate agency that offers multilingual support so that they can check the contract details, including moving-out fees, and feel at ease when moving in.
For example , Mooovin supports Chinese and Vietnamese in addition to English.
In the unlikely event that you run into trouble, it will be easier to get advice from a real estate company that offers multilingual support.
Checkpoints when signing a contract
When signing the contract, be sure to carefully check the parts related to restoring the property to its original condition, especially the contents of any special clauses.
For example, the "Guidelines and Troubles Regarding Restoration to Original Condition" states that the landlord is responsible for the cost of cleaning stains caused by normal use.
However, if the special clause states that "house cleaning costs are the tenant's responsibility," the tenant will have to pay the costs.
In addition, if the contents of the special clause are vague or not explained properly at the time of signing the contract, it is likely to lead to trouble when you move out. Be careful of properties that do not clearly explain the scope of restoration to the original condition at the time of signing the contract.
In addition, in properties with no security deposit, the tenant is usually responsible for the cost of house cleaning when they move out.
Repair costs will also be charged at actual cost, so if the property requires no deposit, be sure to carefully check the contents of the restoration clause in the contract.
4.Practical advice for saving money on moving out
Depending on your daily lifestyle and attitude, it is possible to keep your moving costs as low as possible.
Here are some practical ways to save money on your moving-out costs.
Record any stains or damage when you move in
Once you have decided on a room, if possible, make a record of any scratches or malfunctions in the room before you move (before bringing in your furniture).
Some real estate companies will provide you with a "move-in checklist" to objectively check the condition of the room.
However, if you keep a record of images yourself using your smartphone or other device, you will be able to avoid any problems when you move out.
Smoking outdoors
If smoking causes stains or odors on wallpaper or other surfaces, the tenant will be responsible for restoring the property to its original condition.
You may be required to replace the wallpaper in the entire room, so it is best to avoid smoking indoors as much as possible to save on moving-out costs.
However, some apartments prohibit smoking on the balconies.
Please check in advance whether smoking is permitted on the balcony or in common areas.
Avoid DIY
Pin holes used to hang posters or calendars are considered to be normal wear and tear, and tenants are not required to pay for the cost of restoring the property to its original condition.
However, if you make holes in the wall with screws or nails, it will be considered intentional damage and you will be charged for repairs. If you have to replace not only the wallpaper but also the boards, the moving-out costs will be high.
Unless you have permission from your landlord, avoid any DIY projects that may damage the room.
Clean frequently
The landlord is responsible for restoring the property to its original condition in the event of any dirt or damage that occurs during normal living.
However, any dirt or damage resulting from neglecting cleaning or maintenance is the tenant's responsibility and must be restored to its original condition.
One area where foreigners tend to have trouble when moving in is around the ventilation fan. Perhaps because they tend to use more oil to cook than Japanese people, the range hoods tend to get dirty easily. If you leave the range hood dirty, you may be asked to replace it when you move out. Please be sure to clean the area around the ventilation fan frequently.
In addition, humidity levels are extremely high from the rainy season through to summer in Japan. This makes bathrooms and other areas around water more susceptible to mold, so it's important to pay close attention to this.
5.If you are not satisfied with the amount of the moving-out expenses
What should I do if, despite taking precautions, I am charged unexpectedly high moving-out fees upon vacating the property?
Check the guidelines
First, check the guidelines to determine if the requested restoration costs are reasonable.
However, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism's "Guidelines on Disputes Regarding Restoration to Original Condition" is only available in Japanese.
Alternatively, you might want to refer to the "Guidelines for Preventing Troubles in Rental Housing" created by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.
Download the English versionhere .
Consult a real estate company.
If your landlord is demanding payment for restoration costs, you should consult with a real estate company.
If you choose a real estate company that offers multilingual support, you can rest assured in the event of such problems.
Consult the Consumer Affairs Center.
If you are not satisfied after negotiating with your landlord or real estate company, you can also consult with the Consumer Affairs Center.
The Tokyo Metropolitan Consumer Affairs Center offers free consultations with interpreters available in English, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
- Phone number: 03-3235-1155
- Reception hours: Monday to Saturday / 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM (Vietnamese language support available Saturday / 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM)
Consult with a legal professional such as a lawyer.
As a last resort, you can also consult with a legal professional such as a lawyer or judicial scrivener.
You can resolve your dispute through civil mediation, a method that is less time-consuming and costly than going to court.
