This article was written by the NIPPON VISA & LIFE editorial team based on information from public organizations such as the national government and local governments. Rules and fees may differ depending on the city, ward, town or village where you live.
If the air conditioner or water heater (給湯器, the machine that heats water) in the room you rent in Japan breaks, first contact your landlord (家主, also called ooya) or management company. As a rule, repairs needed for you to live in the room are done by the landlord, and the landlord also pays for them. However, if it broke because of the way the tenant used it, the tenant pays.
For the whole process from renting a room to moving out, see Renting a Room and Moving in Japan: Finding a Room, Contracts, Initial Costs, Moving In, Rules While Living There and Moving Out.
The Short Answer: What to Do When Equipment Breaks
- Make sure it is safe: If it is dangerous, for example water is overflowing or you smell something burning, stop using that machine.
- Contact your landlord or management company: Tell them since when, what, and how it is broken. Taking photos or videos makes it easier to explain.
- Set a date for the repair: The landlord usually arranges the repair company. When the landlord carries out a repair, the tenant generally cannot refuse.
- Check who pays: Who pays depends on the cause of the damage and what your contract says. Check before the repair.
Before calling a repair company yourself to fix something, contact your landlord or management company first. If you fix it yourself first, there may be a dispute over whether you can get the cost back.
(Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Civil Code” Articles 606 and 615, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Standard Rental Housing Contract” Article 9)
Contact the “Landlord” or the “Management Company”
In rental housing, the owner of the room is called the “landlord” (家主, yanushi, or 大家, ooya). A company that manages the building or room at the landlord’s request is called the “management company” (管理会社, kanri gaisha).
- The contact details are often written in your lease contract (賃貸借契約書, the contract you signed when renting the room) or in documents you received when you moved in.
- If you do not know, ask the real estate agency that introduced the room to you.
- If you live in a company dormitory or company housing, also ask the person in charge at your company where you should contact.
Under Japanese law (the Civil Code), when the room needs repair, the tenant must notify the landlord without delay (except when the landlord already knows). Even a small problem can become a big one if you leave it. Contact them early once you notice it.
(Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Civil Code” Article 615)
What to Tell Them When You Contact Them
| What to tell them | Example |
|---|---|
| Your name and room number | “This is △△ in room 203 of ○○ Mansion.” |
| The broken equipment | Air conditioner, water heater, toilet, kitchen tap, etc. |
| Since when | “Since last night.” |
| What is happening | “No hot water comes out.” “The water won’t stop.” “It doesn’t work when I press the remote control.” |
| When you can be reached | “On weekdays, I can answer the phone after 18:00.” |
If you are worried about speaking in Japanese, you can also write what you want to say on paper or in an email and send it. Sending photos along with it helps you get your message across even with few words.
Who Pays for Repairs?
Basically, the Landlord Repairs and the Landlord Pays
Under the Civil Code, the landlord must carry out the repairs needed to use the room. In the “Standard Rental Housing Contract” (a model contract presented by the national government) made by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the basic rule is also that the landlord carries out repairs and pays for them.
Things that break naturally as they get old (for example, an air conditioner or water heater that breaks after long use) are typical examples of “things the landlord repairs”.
If the Tenant’s Use Caused It, the Tenant Pays
Under the Civil Code, repairs that became necessary because of the tenant (for example, breaking something on purpose or using it improperly) are not among the repairs the landlord must make. Under the standard contract, the tenant pays for those.
You May Be Allowed to Do Small Repairs Yourself, Such as Light Bulbs and Washers
Under the standard contract, the tenant may do the following low-cost repairs themselves, and the tenant pays for them in that case (you can also ask the landlord to do the repair).
- Replacing light bulbs and fluorescent lights
- Replacing fuses
- Replacing the washer (the rubber part that stops leaks) or the valve core (koma) of a tap
- Replacing the rubber plug and chain in the bathroom, etc.
- Other repairs with small costs
However, this is an example from the national government’s model. The actual rules are determined by what your contract says. Check the parts that say “修繕” (repairs), “修理” (repair) or “特約” (special provisions). If anything is unclear, ask your landlord, management company or real estate agency.
(Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Civil Code” Article 606, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Standard Rental Housing Contract” Article 9, Appended Table 4 and Appended Table 5)
What If the Landlord Does Not Fix It?
Sometimes the landlord does not make the repair even after you contact them. Under the Civil Code, the tenant may make the repair themselves in either of the following cases.
- When the tenant notified the landlord that a repair is needed (or the landlord already knew), but the landlord does not make the repair within a reasonable period
- When there are urgent circumstances that require an immediate repair
The Civil Code also states that when the tenant pays for a repair that the landlord should pay for, the tenant can ask the landlord to pay that cost back.
However, how long a “reasonable period” is, and what counts as “urgent circumstances”, depend on the situation. Doing the following before you call a repair company yourself will help when you discuss it later.
- Keep a record, in notes or emails, of the dates you contacted your landlord or management company and what you said
- Take photos of the broken parts
- Get the repair estimate and receipt, and keep them
If it is difficult to decide by yourself, contact one of the places in “Where to Get Help” below.
(Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Civil Code” Article 607-2 and Article 608)
What About Rent While the Equipment Cannot Be Used?
Under the Civil Code, when part of the room can no longer be used and this is not the tenant’s fault, the rent is reduced according to the proportion of the part that cannot be used. Under the standard contract, the landlord and the tenant discuss how much and for how long the rent is reduced.
Even if you want your rent reduced, do not reduce the payment on your own. First discuss it with your landlord or management company.
(Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Civil Code” Article 611, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Standard Rental Housing Contract” Article 12)
Points to Note in Each Situation
Water Leaks and Clogged Toilets
- If a drain gets clogged and water overflows, it may cause damage to the room on the floor below. If the room below is damaged, you may have to pay compensation (pay money to make up for the damage) (Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism guidebook).
- Do not flush anything other than human waste and toilet paper down the toilet. Do not pour oil or food waste into the kitchen drain, or put rubbish into the bathroom drain, so that they do not get clogged.
- If the part called the “pilot” on the water meter (the device that measures how much water you use) is turning even though you are not using water, water may be leaking somewhere (Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Waterworks information).
- If you live in an apartment building, consult the building manager or management company before asking a repair company yourself.
(Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Guidebook for Finding a Room”, Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Waterworks, “About Water Leaks”)
When the Air Conditioner or Water Heater Does Not Work
- Check whether the air conditioner or water heater in the room is listed in the contract as equipment of the room, and contact your landlord or management company.
- Even if you are not sure whether it is equipment of the room, ask your landlord or management company before calling a repair company yourself.
- Breakdowns caused by age after long use basically fall under “things the landlord repairs” above.
Condensation and Mold
Japan is humid, and moisture builds up easily indoors, especially in summer. The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism guidebook advises ventilating your room and wiping off condensation (water droplets that form on windows and other surfaces) when it appears. If you leave it, mold will grow.
For stains or mold that appeared because the tenant did not take enough care, the tenant may have to pay the cost of fixing them when moving out.
(Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Guidebook for Finding a Room”, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Standard Rental Housing Contract” Appended Table 5)
Frequently Asked Questions
What Happens If I Move Out While Something Is Still Broken?
When you move out, there is a rule called “restoration to original condition” (原状回復, genjo kaifuku): you fix places that you broke or damaged before returning the room. You do not pay for things that became old naturally or wear from normal use. For details, see Restoration to Original Condition and the Security Deposit When Moving Out of a Rental Home in Japan: Who Pays for Repairs? Examples from the National Guidelines.
If you move out without telling the landlord that something is broken, it becomes unclear when and why it broke, which makes discussions difficult. If something breaks, contact them while you are still living there.
Can I Refuse to Let a Repair Company Into My Room?
Under the Civil Code, when the landlord tries to carry out repairs or other work needed to preserve the room, the tenant cannot refuse. Under the standard contract, the landlord is to notify the tenant in advance. If the date or time is inconvenient, discuss it with your landlord or management company and ask them to change it.
(Source: e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Civil Code” Article 606, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Standard Rental Housing Contract” Article 9)
Can I Hammer Nails Into the Wall to Put Up a Shelf?
The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism guidebook says that hammering nails into walls or painting them is often prohibited. Check the “prohibited matters” (禁止事項) in your contract, and get the landlord’s permission if necessary.
(Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Guidebook for Finding a Room”)
Where to Get Help
- About repairs (first of all): Your landlord, management company, or the real estate agency that introduced the room
- When you cannot reach an agreement with your landlord or management company about costs or repairs: the Consumer Hotline (188); dial “188“. It connects you to a nearby consultation service such as a Consumer Affairs Center. On Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays when the municipal or other services are closed, it connects you to the National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan (NCAC) (except in some areas and during the year-end and New Year holidays, etc.). It cannot be reached from some phones, such as IP phones.
- Basics of finding a room: The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism “Guidebook for Finding a Room” is available in 14 languages, including Japanese.
(Source: National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, “Consumer Affairs Centers Nationwide”, Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Guidebook for Finding a Room”)
Primary Sources Referenced in This Article
- e-Gov Laws and Regulations Search, “Civil Code” (Articles 606, 607-2, 608, 611 and 615)
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Standard Rental Housing Contract” (March Heisei 30 edition; Articles 9 and 12, Appended Tables 4 and 5)
- Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, “Guidebook for Finding a Room” (Smooth Entry of Foreign Nationals into Private Rental Housing)
- Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Waterworks, “About Water Leaks”
- National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan, “Consumer Affairs Centers Nationwide”
- Immigration Services Agency of Japan, “Guidebook on Living and Working” Chapter 11 Housing
This article is a translation of the original Japanese version.
