Are you planning to move out of your current rented house in Japan? Check out this article for the steps and notices from the moving out procedures!

Moving Out Procedures

Ideally, allow yourself at least one to two months when you are moving out of your apartment.

Inform your landlord of your move-out date

You need to provide a notice of at least one month, to be sure, you should review your rental contract. They will schedule an inspection of the apartment on your leave date. You will also be paid a cleaning fee. Usually, there is a base of 1,000-1,250 yen per square meter for standard wear and tear, plus extra damage.

Sort Your Belongings

Decide what to throw out, what to sell or give away. One option to sell the furniture is Craigslist!

Dispose of Large Items

Oversized objects cannot be thrown away like ordinary garbage. You usually have to pay a service charge from around 200 yen (for a small appliance) to a few thousand yen, such as a mattress, so that the city can dispose of these items. Oversized garbage (sodaigomi, 粗大ゴミ) includes items like Television sets, kitchen appliances, and furniture.

Oversized garbage (sodaigomi, 粗大ゴミ) sticker

You need to arrange an appointment with your city or waste processing center to get them to pick up oversized objects. You will find the contact details on the official website of your city. When you call (or apply online), you will be asked to identify the objects and their sizes. The operator will then tell you the number of garbage stickers you need to purchase at the convenience store. On the morning of the scheduled pick-up day, attach the stickers to your items, and place them in the garbage collection area.

Call to Shut Off Utilities and Pay All Your Bills

Call the utility providers to pick a shutdown date for gas, electricity, water, and any other utilities you get. The providers’ phone numbers are mentioned on your monthly bills. You could pay the final bills at a convenience store before you leave or give the bill to a friend who can pay them for you.

In case you are leaving Japan, you must pay all of your bills and taxes. Final bills may require payment in cash in advance, so you may need to leave some cash in the bank account to cover it.

Electricity 

Call an electric power provider that you already have a contract with and a company you intend to use after leaving. Switch any breaker or fuse switches on.

Water

Contact the Water Division of the City, Ward, City, or Village Office that you are moving out.

Gas 

Call the gas provider that you already have a contract with to have them shut off the gas. Also, contact the gas company that you prefer to use after you leave.  

Internet

You may need to make two different calls (one for cancelation with the Line Provider (NTT East or West, for example) and one for your Internet Service Provider (ISP). The final amount will be sent to your current address or to a friend willing to pay for you.

Make sure to pay all your bills!

Residence Tax 

The resident tax is determined based on your income for the previous year. You need to pay a residence tax even if you leave a portion of the way through the year. You can pay the full sum before leaving the country or appoint and notify the tax manager who will pay the resident tax on your behalf.

For more information on taxes in Japan, check out this link. 

Any Other Services and Contracts

Think of any other subscriptions that need to be canceled, for example, NHK TV contract, newspapers and magazines subscription, monthly grocery stores, and so on.

Get a Moving Out Certificate

Visit your City Hall to let them know if you’re leaving the city. Bring your residence card and your hanko, and fill in the required “Moving Out Certificate” (tenshutsutodoke, 転出届け) form there.

Moving Out of Your House? Moving Out Procedures in Japan

Do you know where to sell your furniture when you are planning to move out? Leave a comment below, and we will update the information as soon as possible! 

The Guidable team hopes that you found this article helpful! After all, all of our activities are aiming for a better life for foreigners in Japan! So, stay tuned and follow us on all our platforms!