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Counseling on Housing Osaka Municipal Housing Information Center consults
about purchasing and renting housing and housing policy in Osaka by interview
and telephone.
【Counseling on Housing (Information Service Counter)】
Osaka Municipal Housing Information Center
Housing Information Plaza
6-4-20 Tenjimbashi, Kita-ku, Osaka
Tel. 06-6242-1177 Fax 06-6354-8601
Weekdays/Saturday 9:00 - 19:00
（Closed on Tuesday, the dayfter National & Year–end/New Year Holidays） Sunday/National Holidays 10:00 - 17:00
※English, Chinese, Korean is available 10:00 – 17:00
Basic knowledge about Renting Housing
①Contract
Once you have found a suitable house or apartment, you will enter into a lease contract. Please carefully confirm how the following items are specified such as Shiki-kin (refundable money), Reikin (key money), which are Japanese practices.
○ Guarantor (Hosho-nin): When the contracting party was not able to assume liability for reparation, a guarantor must be appointed. In most cases, it is requested to appoint a Japanese guarantor.
○ Security Company (Hosho Gaisha): A company receives money and will be your guarantor. Service, security and screening will vary according to each security company.
○ Application Money or Deposit (Shoko-kin or Azukari-kin):
This money is available until the contract is completed. This money will be appropriated as part of the Tetsuke-kin (Initial deposit) below.
○ Initial Deposit (Tetsuke-kin): The money is paid as proof of the completion of the contract. This money will be appropriated as part of the Guarantee money.
○ Key Money/Gift Money (Rei-kin): This money is paid to the landlord as a token of gratitude and is not refundable when you move out.
○ Refundable deposit (Shiki-kin): This is the money left with the landlord as security for your rental payments. Usually, the money is paid back to you when you move out, however, if you do not pay the rent or if there are serious damages to the property, this money will be appropriated to cover the amount of the repair cost.
※In the Kansai area, it is generally called Guarantee Money (Hosho-kin).
In some cases, when the tenant moves out, a fixed amount as contracted is deducted, which is called “Shikibiki (Kaiyaku-biki).”
○ Realtor’s Commission Fee (Chukai-ryo): This is commission paid to the real estate agent. In general, the tenant and landlord pay one half of the sum of money equivalently to one month’s rent. However, the proportion paid by each party is able to change under the agreement of both parties.
②House Rental Payment
In general, monthly rent and maintenance fees are to be paid each month.
○ Rental Fee: In general, you must pay the monthly rental fee in advance
by the last day of the previous month.
○ Maintenance Fees: These are to cover the maintenance expenses of
communal areas. They are sometimes included in the rent.
③Terminating the Contract
When you wish to terminate the lease, you must give advance notice (normally one to two months) to the landlord in accordance with the provisions of the contract. If you move out without giving a notice, or if you give notice just before moving, you might need to cover the extra rental charge.
How to Apply for Private Housing
When searching for a house or an apartment to rent, tenants generally go through a real estate agent for assistance. Your real estate agent will give you information on the housing available and take you to see any house or apartment you are interested in at no charge. To avoid any misunderstandings when dealing with the real estate agent, it is advised to take a Japanese speaker with you. When purchasing a house, we generally use housing loan from private financial institutions.
Housing for Foreign Residents
① Municipal Housing for Privately-financed International Students
② Housing Support System for Foreign Business People
For foreign business people working in foreign-affiliated companies,
Osaka Municipal Housing Cooperation provides information about necessary documents or relaxing requirements of a guarantor and vacancies of public housing under Osaka Municipal Housing.
【Inquiries】
Osaka Business and Investment Center
Tel: 06-6944-6298 Fax: 06-6944-6293
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