Japanese for Apartment Hunting as a Foreigner: What to Say When Calling, Visiting, and Viewing Rooms with a Real Estate Agency

When you are refused a tenancy because of your nationality alone, the problem lies with the one who refused you. It is not the fault of your Japanese or your attitude. With that said, this article follows the flow of apartment hunting and gathers phrases you can use as they are, along with things worth knowing in advance so you don't panic.

If You Are Refused Only Because of Your Nationality, the Problem Is on the Refusing Side

In a survey commissioned by the Ministry of Justice (conducted November–December 2016), 39.3% of the 2,044 foreign residents who had looked for housing in the past five years answered that they had been "refused a tenancy because they were foreign"[1]. The figures are the respondents' own answers, based on a mail survey of foreign residents aged 18 or older living in 37 cities and wards[1]. The survey is nearly ten years old, so these are not today's rates. Even so, the free-response section includes comments such as "When I contacted a real estate agency, their attitude changed as soon as they realized I was a foreigner"[1].

A document issued by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism for landlords and real estate companies states that refusing a tenancy because someone is a foreigner may constitute unjust discrimination. It also says there have been cases in which a landlord who refused a tenancy solely because of nationality was ordered to pay compensation for emotional distress[2].

If you are refused, you can change how you search.

• You can search for rental housing that accepts foreign residents on the "Safety Net Housing Information System" (a Japanese-language website)[3].
• If you are an international student, ask your school's student affairs office whether it has housing information[3].
• If you are worried about your Japanese, go to the real estate agency with someone who speaks Japanese. Some local governments and companies offer services that help you with this[3].

If you feel you have been unjustly discriminated against because you are a foreigner, you can consult the Legal Affairs Bureau's "Human Rights Counseling for Foreign Nationals." Legal Affairs Bureaus and District Legal Affairs Bureaus across the country also take consultations from people who cannot speak Japanese fluently[4].

On the Phone, Start with the Name of the Listing and Your Own Name

Note: This scene is fictional, based on cases common among learners.

Karim saw a room listing he found online and called a real estate agency.

"Hello, do you have a room?"

The receptionist paused for a moment and asked back, "Which property are you asking about?" Karim did not remember the name of the listing. He answered, "It's a room on the second floor, near the station," but the other person couldn't tell which room he meant.

Real estate agencies have many similar listings. With just "Do you have a room?", the other person can't look it up. First, tell them which listing you saw, and give your own name.

Sorry to trouble you when you're busy. I saw the listing for △△ Mansion on ◯◯ (name of the website) and am calling about it. My name is (name).

This is one example of a polite way to say it. Then ask what you want to know, one thing at a time.

• "Is this room still available?"
• "I hold foreign nationality. Can I apply?"
• "I'd like to view the room. Would the afternoon of ◯ (date) be possible?"

The second question is one you ask to check before you spend time on a viewing. It saves you from traveling to a property that is listed as "no foreigners."

If you couldn't catch what was said, you can ask like this.

• "My Japanese isn't very good, so could you please speak more slowly?"
• "One more time, please."

When You Visit the Office, Know What You'll Be Asked and What to Bring

When you enter the office, first state your purpose.

• "I'm looking for a room. May I ask for your advice?"

According to the guidebook, real estate agencies generally ask about the following[3].

• Your name
• Your occupation
• The number of people who will live with you
• Your income
• Your Japanese ability
• Your reason for looking for housing

You may submit a tenancy application on the day you visit, so bring your residence card or passport[3]. The guidebook also says that dressing neatly makes a better first impression on the staff[3].

State your preferences clearly: nearest station, rent, size, and facilities. The guidebook includes a "Preference Checklist," and filling it out in advance and showing it makes it easier to communicate[3].

• "The nearest station should be ◯◯ Station, and the rent up to ◯ yen. I plan to live alone."

What to Ask at a Viewing to Make Your Life Easier Later

Viewing a room is free. If you see it and don't like it, you don't have to apply[3]. Look at the facilities, such as the kitchen and air conditioner, and at where you could put a refrigerator and washing machine. Also check the surroundings: the station, supermarkets, convenience stores, hospitals, and so on[3].

At the same time, ask about the rules after you move in.

Garbage disposal rules differ depending on the city, ward, or town where you live. The guidebook says to check the following points[3].

• The days and times for putting out garbage
• The place to put it out
• How to separate burnable and non-burnable garbage
• How to separate recyclables
• How to dispose of oversized garbage

The guidebook lists the real estate agency, neighbors, and the city hall or sanitation office as people to ask[3]. Cities and wards with many foreign residents sometimes have pamphlets with illustrations[3]. If you ask at the viewing, you can find out before you move in.

• "Where can I check the garbage disposal rules for this area?"
• "Could you tell me where to put out garbage, and the days and times?"

Also ask about the rules of the building itself. The guidebook says to confirm at the time of the contract the prohibitions on things like living with others or keeping pets, and the conditions for restoration to original condition (returning the room to its original state when you move out)[3]. Driving nails into walls and painting them are often prohibited, and you are also warned not to leave belongings in shared areas such as hallways and stairs[3].

• "Are there any rules about pets, musical instruments, or living with other people?"
• "May I drive nails into the walls?"
• "Are there any rules about noise, such as running the washing machine at night?"

These questions are for checking whether the room is one you can live in comfortably. Just because you asked doesn't mean you have to promise anything. Once you know the rules, you decide whether to live in that room.

What to Prepare Before Applying, and How Guarantor Companies Work

Tenant screening requires documents such as your passport, residence card, income certificate, and a certificate of employment or enrollment. The guidebook's checklist also lists a withholding tax slip, pay slips, and proof of savings (a copy of your bankbook)[3]. What is required differs from company to company, so ask before you apply.

Also check the method of guarantee. In Japanese rental contracts, to prepare for the case where you can't pay the rent, you need either to use a rent guarantee company or to name a joint guarantor. The guidebook says to ask the real estate agency which one is required[3].

• "Is it necessary to use a guarantor company? Is a joint guarantor necessary?"

A guarantor company is a company that pays the landlord the rent on your behalf when rent is overdue. The amount it paid is later billed to the tenant[5]. Companies registered with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism are called "registered rent debt guarantors"[5]. Some companies offer multilingual support for foreign residents, and a list of registered companies with language support is posted on the Ministry's website[2]. In the survey mentioned earlier, 41.2% of the 2,044 people who had looked for housing answered that they had been refused because they had no Japanese guarantor[1]. Using a guarantor company is one option in that case.

For international students, the school sometimes serves as the joint guarantor. What protects the school and its staff in that case is the "Comprehensive Insurance for International Students' Housing." When a joint guarantor receives a demand from the landlord for unpaid rent and pays it, compensation of up to 300,000 yen is paid to that guarantor[5]. What is covered is not the international student but the guarantor[5]. Whether you can use it is something to ask at your school's office.

The application form has a field for an emergency contact[6]. Check in advance the contact details of someone you are regularly in touch with. Examples include relatives in your home country, Japanese friends, your workplace, or your school[2]. If you can't find an emergency contact, you may be able to consult the local Housing Support Council[2].

Looking at a sample application form, you can learn the following[6].

• You may write in Japanese or in English (the alphabet).
• Your workplace or school may be contacted to confirm your enrollment or employment. Your joint guarantor will also be contacted by phone later.
• If you write anything false, your application will be refused.
• Depending on the screening result, you may be refused, and the reason will not be given.

The sample has a field where the applicant writes the "language they can understand"[6]. In the sample, the remarks field is within the section the real estate company fills in[6].

Sometimes you are not told the reason for a screening result. Even if you are refused, don't conclude that it was because of how you spoke or behaved; it is enough to look for another company or another property.

If You Don't Understand Something in the Explanation of Important Matters, Ask Right Then

Once your application is approved, there is an explanation of important matters before the contract. The guidebook says that if there is anything you don't understand, you should ask at that point[3]. Signing a contract means you understand its contents and promise to abide by them[3]. Check what it says before you sign. The points to check are as follows[3].

• Whether it is an ordinary lease or a fixed-term lease
• The amounts of the security deposit and key money
• The renewal fee
• Prohibitions such as living with others or keeping pets
• The conditions for restoration to original condition

When you ask for clarification or want to confirm something, you can say the following.

• "I didn't quite understand the ◯◯ part. Could you explain it once more?"
• "How much is the renewal fee? When do I pay it?"
• "When I move out, about how much will the restoration cost?"

References

1. "外国人住民調査報告書 ― 訂正版 ―（平成28年度法務省委託調査研究事業）," 公益財団法人 人権教育啓発推進センター（法務省委託）, 2017. https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001226182.pdf
2. "《大家さん、不動産事業者のための》外国人の受入れガイド," 国土交通省 住宅局 / 公益財団法人日本賃貸住宅管理協会, 令和3年12月. https://www.mlit.go.jp/jutakukentiku/house/content/001394553.pdf
3. "部屋探しのガイドブック（日本語版）," 国土交通省・公益財団法人日本賃貸住宅管理協会. https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001317843.pdf
4. "外国人のための人権相談," 法務省（人権擁護局）. https://www.moj.go.jp/JINKEN/jinken21.html
5. "外国人留学生の民間賃貸住宅等への入居に当たっての保証手法," 国土交通省. https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001295341.pdf
6. "外国人の民間賃貸住宅入居円滑化ガイドライン 第5章 各国語契約書等見本（日本語）入居申込書（見本）," 国土交通省・公益財団法人日本賃貸住宅管理協会. https://www.mlit.go.jp/common/001238428.pdf