Yuki's Passion 1 Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Can anybody give me some clear information on the rules regarding real estate in Japan? My realtor is trying to shaft me on replacing the tatami in the washitsu. What a load of crap. Especially after paying close to 100Man en for shikikin. Every place I have asked have said that yes youre suppose to, unless youre just trying to rape the gaijin... Know any good lawyers or factual information I can argue with them with? Link to post Share on other sites
nzlegend 1 Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 quote: Originally posted by Yuki's Passion: I get about 7 weeks paid summer, just under one month winter, over 2 weeks in the spring, plus about 20 days of nenkyuu, and all other national public holidays !!! And, since Im a huge ski bum, I get to be the ski coach and go on two trips (paid) to Hakuba each year. Ahhh, life is good. Yeah, Im gonna get paid NOT to work, he, he, he Link to post Share on other sites
slow 0 Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 This is the guideline Kokudo-Kotsu-sho made. Sorry, it's Japanese and not really helpful. shikikin trouble Do you live in Tokyo? Tokyo Metropolitan Government is working on an ordinance to help renter now. There are so many shikikin troubles everywhere and usually renter is compelled to accept paying those money(including tatami-gae!). But legally, the money for Tatamigae is owner's responsibitily and you don't have to pay unless you have faults like you burned Tatami or something. I think arguement with owner or realtor is good in this case. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted March 10, 2004 Author Share Posted March 10, 2004 Kamo, Yeah, but trouble with the realtor is a little bit different. I have always heard that the shikikin money you pay goes to changing the tatami once you move out for the next person since youre probably gonna destroy it or get it dirty, and the last persons shikikin is suppose to pay for new tatami for you. No????? Slow, I actually live in Hiroshima and am moving to the Kansai area next week - in Hiroshima shikikin isnt a big deal, usually 3 months rent, plus reikin, and first months rent; Kansai is the most expensive place in Japan it seems. My new Japanese word sagi：あいつらは詐欺をしょるんばかりじゃん。 Link to post Share on other sites
MistaSparkle 0 Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 The whole realty business in Japan is a big scam. Reikin aka "thank you money" is more like "FU money"... they charge you just because they can. And the security deposit is a total wash too. I left my last apartment absolutely spotless... cleaner than when I got it, and they charged me something like 3man in cleaning fees. Link to post Share on other sites
slow 0 Posted March 10, 2004 Share Posted March 10, 2004 Many people misunderstanding. It's impossible to keep tatami new if you live there for years. Shikikin is the money covering for un-paid rent. If you can't pay the rent, you have to compensate the rent from Shikikin. Shikikin isn't the money for tatamigae. But if your contract saids you have to pay for tatami-gae when you leave, you have to pay. Because you sighned it. I know about this business very well and this shikikin reikin system is really stupid. The renters have to be clever. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 On my contract, there is no difference between reikin and shikikin because its all listed under shikikin on the contract. Out of the total amount X man is deducted for them and I get the remaining part back; what isnt stated and what I cant get a clear answer for is for the X man that is deducted from my shikikin isnt that suppose to be part of the price to pay for new tatami; hence, the last persons shikikin SHOULDVE paid for new tatami for me??? Link to post Share on other sites
mogski 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 For this very reason I have a video dated the day I shifted into my new apartment showing stains all over the Tatami. My contract states that I have to replace the Tatami upon leaving. If they don't have the courtesy to do it for me upon entering then I don't give a crap if I have signed a contract or not, I am not going to replace them and I will go by the overriding condition in the contract that says "return to condition of time of abode upon vacating." I do stand to be corrected on this but I understand that they cannot use any amount of the Shikikin unless you agree to it. To take it and use it is as good as stealing. Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Yuki, what part of Kansai are you moving to. Osaka seems to have a glut of property at the moment, definitely a renters market. Don't accept unreasonably high entrance money, there's always a good deal to be had somewhere else. Bargaining is key. When I moved into the current place, they were asking 1 mill non-refundable and .6 mill deposit. Ended up paying .6 mill non-ref w/ no deposit. Not bad, works out to not much over three months rent... Kyoto, well, that's a different story... Link to post Share on other sites
beguiling 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 What exactly is shinkin? Do we get that back? Link to post Share on other sites
Plucky 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Quote: Originally posted by miteyak: When I moved into the current place, they were asking 1 mill non-refundable and .6 mill deposit. 1 million yen????? Jesus, that's close to 10,000 dollars If I'm reading the above correctly, you have to pay almost 1.6 million yen or 16,000 dollars just to move into a place? That can't be right. Please tell me I'm wrong. If not, that's just evil. I don't get how someone could even pay that. Link to post Share on other sites
miteyak 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 It's a nice apartment, mind... Yeah, it's pretty crazy, but key money actually works out if you are staying in a place for a few years. Less or no key money places(for a similar place) tend to have higher rent. Link to post Share on other sites
Yuki's Passion 1 Posted March 11, 2004 Author Share Posted March 11, 2004 Miteyak, Yeah, they were asking 1,200,000 for shikikin. Kansai is the MOST expensive place in Japan, bar none. Hiroshima is dirt cheap comparitively. I got them down to 60 man and 40 man for shikikin/reikin. Plucky, Yup, Miteyak is right. Its friggin ridiculous!!! So, if you move there you should plan on staying for quite a while or its not worth wasting your money. Im just glad my school pays my rent They just wouldnt touch key money... Link to post Share on other sites
Plucky 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 I still can't believe that. Over 10,000 dollars just to get into an apartment??? And you only get a percentage of that back (if any at all)??? An apartment?? Is this just mostly for gaijin or is it like this for the Japanese also? I live in an incredible house with only a small forest separating me from the beach. We pay 120,000 yen a month for it but didn't have to pay any deposit or non-refundable charges. We also aren't going through the military base for the house - we went independent and went through a real estate company. So basically, it's on the Japanese economy. I guess up here in hickville where land isn't as precious things aren't nearly as bad as in the cities. Still, Link to post Share on other sites
Ocean11 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Generally getting a house is a much better deal than getting an apartment. If you don't get new tatami when you move in, then you shouldn't have to pay for new tatami when you move out. That much seems clear to me. Link to post Share on other sites
mogski 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Mind if I print that out and attach it to my contract? Link to post Share on other sites
badmigraine 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Mogs, you might want to talk to the realtor and/or owner right now...unless you have some written record of their acknowledgment of the condition, the vid might not be enough! Easier to handle it now. I don't think you'd want new tatami even if they offered it, right? You might want to keep the old tatami in there, so you don't have to buy new ones on the way out... Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 part of my rental contract requires me to replace all the flooring in my house. I have to pay for 50% of the cost, however this is capped at 1 months rent. I am pretty much ready to hand over the ones months rent the day I move out. I agreed to this as I had a dog that would be running around the house like he owned it and I knew I would clomp around on my carpet and tatami in shoes like I owned it. So for the last 2 years I have had zero respect for my flooring. Link to post Share on other sites
Siren 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Shall we set up a fund to invest in real estate? Deebee, what is the ROE do you know? Link to post Share on other sites
damian 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Quote: Originally posted by Siren: Deebee, what is the ROE do you know? The Return On Ecstasy is always very high. Link to post Share on other sites
Siren 0 Posted March 11, 2004 Share Posted March 11, 2004 Can you securitise it too? I meant to say "RoI" actually - Sorry. Link to post Share on other sites
oo 1 Posted March 14, 2004 Share Posted March 14, 2004 When I moved into the place I'm in now I took a camera and took about 50 photos of everything, its definitely a good idea to do something like that. Link to post Share on other sites
big-will 7 Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 I didn't do that and I regret it now. Link to post Share on other sites
scouser 4 Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 How long do new tatamis keep their new smell? (O11, I tried using that new fangled "Goo Gle" thing, but it didn't help...) Link to post Share on other sites
kintaro 0 Posted March 25, 2004 Share Posted March 25, 2004 pilau bugga eh, you? Link to post Share on other sites
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