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Koushinnryou on my apartments rent


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I have just been told that I have to pay "koushinryou" to renew my apartment rental contract.

 

I have to pay 1 months rent (70000 yen) for absolutely SOD ALL. All I get from it is a new piece of paper that says I am renting the apartment from this month for another 2 years.

 

mad.gif mad.gif mad.gif mad.gif mad.gif mad.gif

 

Is this normal??!??!

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My wife is from Okayama and she says that reikin and koshinryo are pretty rare there. She also said that shikikin is usually only 1 month's rent. Often there is no agent or only a low agent fee. Rents are a fraction of Tokyo's.

 

Compare that to Tokyo where the norm is 2 months' reikin, 2 months' shikikin, 1 month to the agent and of course, lest we forget, the first month's rent.

 

I guess the difference is paying almost $10,000 US just to get in the door of a modern 2BR apt. in Tokyo, vs. about $2000 to do the same in Okayama.

 

In both places I guess you need a "guarantor" to assume full legal and financial responsibility for YOU.

 

It's always amazed me how people are able to come up with the $7000 - $10,000 CASH and the hoshonin that it usually takes just to move into an apt. in Tokyo. I guess a lot of that cash must be fronted by companies.

 

Here in the US, you just buy a newspaper (35 cents), circle some interesting apts. in the classified ads, then call up and go see them right away. If you like a place, then you just sign the contract on the spot with a ballpoint pen and hand over a check for the first, last and security deposit. They give you the key right there...

 

If you want to, you can move in yourself by renting a 14-foot U-Haul truck for $19/day, unlimited mileage.

 

$10,000 cash, just to get into the door?

 

Sheesh!!

 

Right now, I am glad to be here in Walled Lake!!

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I think the silly bollocks you have to go through in Japan just to move house is probably another reason why the economy is in a shambles. If you want to have flexible labour, you have to have flexible housing too.

 

Another reason why we're taking so long to decide to move is the risk (cost) involved in getting it wrong.

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....and much of the bond money never comes back.

 

they must buy new tatami even if u were only there 6 mths.

 

better stop thinking about it, its making me bubble fury.

 

i think i'll head back to the grabia or funny cat thread...

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Are there two Tokyos in this country? Where on do you guys live? Most of the people I know (simple snow lovin' regular joes like myself) spend a couple of hundred thousand a month. And that is for a pretty modest place.

 

A couple of friends of mine have just moved apartments and were able to knock the rent down quite a bit, no key money and one or two months deposit. The real estate market is in such a sad state that stupid things like key money is very negotiable.

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When renting a house find out what the rules are and get them on paper.

 

My place is cool. I rented it a long time ago, The landlord is a Japanese friend. The rent is only 42000man. 2 stops on JR from kyoto and 8 stops maybe to Osaka. I got lucky I know.

 

If you look hard enough and you dont rush you can find lots of good places. Go with the older ones. In Kyoto you can get a house in kita ku for 50000man if you look and wait.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I've been told this is down to the agent you go through, and the landlord. Luckily we didnt go through an agent as such and know the landlord so have an open rent deal with him - no need to renew after 2 years, just continue indefinitely.

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I don't think you pay koushinryo in Western Japan, though the key money is higher relative to the rent.

 

I had a good look maybe three years ago, but for a nice 2LDK+ in Osaka, the going rate for the key money (hoshoukin) was 800,000 plus with only 400,000 back (a deduction (shikibiki) of 400,000)for a 100,000 a month pad. Incidently, I was told that some landlords will not rent such places to single blokes because they want couples who'll move out for somewhere bigger within a couple of years when they have kids.

 

In Kanto, you're looking at 2 months rent as a present (reikin) and 2 months as deposit (shikikin). If you're lucky/stubborn, 1 month/1 month. Relative to the rent, its lower than Kansai.

 

To avoid such fees, avoid real estate agents and go through word of mouth. Obviously this is not an option open to everyone and limits you to older places with sympathetic owners. If you're married and don't have a "large" income, you should look into public housing and housing subsidized by the local government.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Someone I know fought the renewal fee as (I think) legally you don't have to pay it. He never did, maybe he got a lawyer or something. Of course it stuffs up any any goodwill relationship with the landlords cos they get really pissed..... but he stayed in the same place for several more years before leaving the country, since it seems they can't kick you out for not paying.

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