Q & A on living in a share house of Japan

There are share houses in every country, but Japan has its own unique characteristics. Let’s solve any questions you may have or things you don’t understand about share houses in Japan.

Contracts & Procedures for staying a share house

Can I stay for less than one month?

In general : Share houses where you can stay for less than a month are almost non-existent. Click here to find out why.
In Osaka Weekly House : You can stay for less than one month. The minimum length of stay is one week.

What kind of rental contract do I need to sign?

In general : Most share houses have a fixed-term lease contract. The contract period is usually one year.
In Osaka Weekly House : There is no lease contract and no need to go through any such paperwork.

What should I do if I decide to move out earlier than the contract period?

In general : Although it varies from share house to share house, you will usually have to submit a notice of termination one month before you move out.
In Osaka Weekly House : You should give at least one week’s notice. Normally, you will be asked to pay for the duration of your stay in advance, so if you move out earlier, you will be refunded that amount.

What kind of screening process do I go through after I apply to move in?

In general : You may be asked to attend an interview. Even if you don’t have an interview, you will be asked the following questions when touring the property.
What kind of visa do you have?　What do you do for a living?　What is the purpose of your stay in Japan?
In Osaka Weekly House : When you check in, you will be asked for a copy of your passport or visa.

What do I need to bring with me when I move in?

In general : You will be provided with minimal furniture such as a bed or a desk, but often no bedding. (In some cases, you can rent bedding.)
In Osaka Weekly House : All bedding and sheets are provided. Futons are quilts. The sheets are changed regularly.

Do I need a guarantor?

In general : In general, a guarantor is required for rental apartments, but in most cases, a guarantor is not required for share houses. However, you may be required to pay a guarantee fee to a guarantee company.
In Osaka Weekly House : No guarantor is required. Of course, there is no guarantee fee to pay.

Can I choose my room?

In general : In the case of private rooms, you can usually choose one. However, in the case of dormitories, whether or not they will accept your desired bed will depend on how each share house is run.
In Osaka Weekly House : Whenever possible, we will accept your request. (For example, if you are unable to climb stairs due to physical reasons, you can request a lower bed.)

Is there an age limit?

In general : This also depends on the management policy of each share house, but there are some share houses that have age restrictions.
In Osaka Weekly House : There is no age limit.

Is there a staff member who will be present on move-in day? Where do I pick up the key?

In general : In most cases, the share house manager will meet you on the day you move in and give you the key on the spot.
In Osaka Weekly House : The reception front desk staff will give you the key when you check in.

Will I need anything for the contract procedure?

In general : You will be asked to provide identification such as your passport or visa when signing the contract. In addition, if a guarantor is required, you may also be asked to provide a letter of consent from the guarantor, and documentation to prove your income.
In Osaka Weekly House : There is no contracting process itself, so you do not need to submit any documents. You will simply be asked to present your visa, passport, or residence card on move-in day.

Money matters about sharehouse

How much is the initial cost?

In general : In most cases, you will need to pay a deposit. You may also need to pay a guarantee fee. For more information, please click here.
In Osaka Weekly House : You do not need to pay any initial fees such as a deposit like in a normal share house.

How do I pay the rent?

In general : In general, you can either pay the share house manager in cash or transfer the money to the bank account of the owner or share house management company.
I don’t think there are any share houses that accept payment by credit card.
In Osaka Weekly House : You can pay the reception front desk staff by cash, credit card, or Paypay.

How do I pay for utilities?

In general : In the case of share houses where utilities are included in the common area fee, you will pay the rent and the common area fee together. In some cases, you may have to pay only the utilities separately for your usage.
In Osaka Weekly House : There are no additional fees other than rent such as common area fee and utility fee.

Is the internet fee included in the rent?

In general :In most share houses, the internet fee will be included in the rent. The entire building will have a high-speed communication contract such as fiber optics, and there will be access points set up throughout the building.
In Osaka Weekly House :The internet fee is included in the rent. There is an access point on every floor of the building, and you can use wifi internet anywhere in the building.

Facilities and equipment

Does it come with bedding?

In general : There is a bed, but there are very few share houses that provide bedding such as futons and sheets as part of the original furnishings. There are some share houses that can be rented if you wish.
In Osaka Weekly House : Quilts, mattresses, sheets, and pillows are all provided and are included in the rent. The sheets will be replaced with new ones periodically.

Do they provide any amenities?

In general : No, there is no soap, body soap, shampoo, toothbrush, bath towels, etc. that you would normally find in a hotel. It is normal to buy everything yourself.
In Osaka Weekly House : Shared shower rooms are equipped with body soap and 2 in one shampoo. Toothbrushes, razors, and other amenities are sold for 150 yen. Laundry detergent is available at the laundry, and hand soap is available in the washroom for free.

What kind of items are available in the shared kitchen?

In general : Most share houses have a refrigerator, microwave, toaster, rice cooker, stove, kettle, and other typical appliances. If you need an oven or blender, it’s best to check in advance. In addition, cooking utensils such as plates, cups, pans, and pots are also usually available.
In Osaka Weekly House : All of the cooking appliances mentioned above are available (no ovens or mixers). In addition, cooking utensils such as plates, cups, pans, and pots are also available.

Are there washing machines and dryers available?

In general : In most cases, there are washing machines in the share house that can be used for common use. In some cases, you have to pay for each use, and in other cases, you can use the laundry for free. As for dryers, there are some share houses that have them and some that do not. If the share house does not have a dryer, there will probably be a place to dry your clothes, but you should check this out beforehand as well.
In Osaka Weekly House : There is a coin-operated laundry with washing machines and dryers. Washing machines cost 200 yen per load, and dryers (gas-powered for commercial use) cost 100 yen for 15 minutes.

Is Wifi available everywhere?

In general : The entire building has a high-speed internet contract such as fiber optics, and there will be access points throughout the building.
In Osaka Weekly House : There are access points on every floor of the building, and you can use Wifi internet anywhere in the building.

Rules

What are the rules for using the common areas?

In general : For facilities related to noise issues, such as living room, shower room, and laundry area, the hours of use may be limited.
In Osaka Weekly House :  The living room and shower room are available 24 hours a day. We ask that you do not use the laundry area late at night.

Can I invite my girlfriend or friends to my room?

In general : Many share houses charge a fee for having friends, loved ones, or acquaintances stay in your room.
In Osaka Weekly House : If you wish to meet your girlfriend, friend, or acquaintance, please use the shared living room. If you wish to stay in your room, you will be asked to pay a separate accommodation fee.

Can I have a pet?

In general : It is very rare to find a share house where you can keep a pet. Please check with that share house beforehand to see if you can keep a pet.
In Osaka Weekly House :  You are not allowed to stay with pets.

Can I smoke?

In general :  Each share house will have its own rules. However, it’s unlikely that you’ll find a share house where you can smoke in your room.
There are some share houses that have common areas such as patios where you can smoke, and others where smoking is prohibited throughout the building.
In Osaka Weekly House :  Smoking is not allowed inside the building, including in the rooms. You can smoke on the outdoor patio.

Can two people live in the same room?

In general :  There are some share houses that allow two people to live together and some that do not. If two people live in the same room, of course there will be an additional fee compared to one person.
In Osaka Weekly House :  There are different rates for two people and one person. Please check the price list.

Who cleans the common areas, aside from my room?

In general : In some cases, the management company of the share house takes care of the cleaning of the common areas, while in other cases, residents are on duty. In the latter case, a certain percentage of the residents will be assigned to clean the common areas, so you’ll have to bear a certain amount of responsibility.
In Osaka Weekly House :  Common areas are cleaned by the cleaning staff almost every day.

Is there a curfew?

In general : Many share houses have electronic locks at the entrance that can be opened and closed with a PIN code, so there is probably no curfew.
In Osaka Weekly House : The system allows you to come and go at any time with a PIN code, so there is no curfew.

Is there a lights-out time?

In general : Some share houses have a lights-out time for dormitories and shared spaces. In the case of private rooms, of course, there is no lights-out time.
In Osaka Weekly House : Even in dormitories and shared spaces, there is no set lights-out time. In dormitories, someone will turn off the lights as long as it is common sense. However, there is a reading light in each bed.

Others

What kind of problems can I expect?

In general : There are various problems such as people eating other people’s food in the common refrigerator without permission, drunk people sleeping in the hallway, and noisy people in the middle of the night. For more information, click here.
In Osaka Weekly House :  There is a padlocked valuables box in the dormitory bed, but it can happen a few times a year that your wallet goes missing while you’re not in there. However, unlike most share houses, the front desk staff is always on hand, so you can warn them if anyone is behaving in a problematic manner. If there is a dispute, the staff can intervene.

I’d like to send my luggage to the share house before I move in, is that possible?

In general : There are very few share houses that have a resident manager. Unless it’s a very large share house, you probably won’t find a resident manager. In other words, even if you send your belongings to a share house, there’s no one to receive them for you.
In Osaka Weekly House :  The front desk staff is always available, so even if you send us your luggage in advance, we can receive it and hold it for you until your move-in date.

The address must be registered on the residence card. Is it possible to register the address of the share house on my residence card?

In general : Yes, it is possible.
In Osaka Weekly House :  Yes, it is possible.