One-Time Costs to Consider

In our last few posts we discussed the recurring costs associated with properties in Japan. In addition to these there are a few other one-time costs that may come up. Whether these will be charged changes completely depending on the property. Some may have none, and others may have all of them. Please keep these in mind and check when deciding on a new home.

駐車場の敷金（Chushajo no Shikikin) – Deposit for Parking
In addition to the monthly costs for parking, some may also require a deposit to be paid as well. If required this is usually 1-month’s cost but can be up to 2. As the chances of damage to parking are quite low, this will usually be returned in full at the end of the contract. However, some management companies require it in the off-chance there is an accident like backing into a wall or hitting any of the metal structures.

鍵交換費用（Kagi Kokan Hiyo) – Lock Replacement
Many properties will require a one-time lock replacement fee as part of the contract signing. This can usually be expected to be about JPY 20,000 – 30,000 but will vary by property. While not needed for all properties, keep in mind that losing your keys may result in having to pay this again, or even more for some properties with complicated key systems.

清掃費用（Seiso Hiyo) – Cleaning Fees
For the vast majority of properties cleaning costs are charged at move-out. However, in some rare cases the management may charge them as part of the move-in so that there is no need to worry about deposit returns or so on once the contract has been completed. Ultimately, this cost will depend entirely on the property size. Please note that some cleaning fees may be all inclusive while others may be separated into room cleaning fee, AC cleaning fee, floor waxing, and so on.

Miscellaneous Fees
In addition to the other fees discussed so far there are some other fees that may come up one time such as:
-Fire Extinguisher Fee
-Water Filter Fee
-Internet Registration Fee
But these are usually just a few thousand yen each.
Furthermore there may be other monthly fees, of just a few hundred yen like:
– TV fees
– Neighborhood Association Fees

With all of the information from our last few posts, we hope you have a better idea of what to expect when looking for a home, and can plan your budget accordingly.