Hi all, sorry if this is a “newbie” question, but I will be renting my own apartment for the first time in Japan on Monday. I don’t have a debit or credit card with my bank (JP Bank, normal account as far as I know) but I hope to use my inkan and bankbook to transfer the money directly. It needs to be sent by Tuesday.
My nightmare scenario is that I get to the bank on Monday, and there is some regulation or technicality I don’t know about that will make me miss out on the apartment. Vets, please share any inside tips or troubleshooting that could help the tender rawhides among us.
お願いします。
3 comments
Assuming you have the invoice you’ll just be able to walk in and either do the transfer on one of their ATMs or at the counter (fee at the counter is higher than the ATM at my bank). Did the company send you any forms to setup automated transfers every month? I would recommend just doing that in the future so you don’t have to worry about it.
You may already know, but in case, your per transaction limit may be set at 50man, so if the amount you need to transfer is above that you will need to split it into more than one transaction.
Your understanding is pretty much correct. As long as you have your bankbook/bank card, you’ll be able to use an ATM to transfer money.
As for advice, I have a few.
When you make the transfer, make sure you double-check the destination bank name, branch number, and account number. Keep the transfer receipt they confirm that they received your money.
Set up internet banking (“Yucho Direct” for JP Bank) so you can make transfers, check your balance, etc. online in the future.
If you’re contracting through a real estate agent (mini mini, housecom, etc.) they sometime like to put extra service/products in your initial invoice, but never mention that it’s optional. Make sure you understand everything that’s listed in your invoice, and remove things if you don’t find them necessary. For example, when I moved a couple of years ago the real estate agent put in an emergency kitchen fire extinguishing kit that cost 15k or so. The apartment I rented had fire extinguishers near the entrance, so I asked for it to be removed. Another extra is a bug-proofing treatment, where they will coat the floor/walls with バルサム.