Looking to move to a new place in Ichikawa, Chiba, which needs some fixes that the landlord is unwilling to do. It’s otherwise a nice large place for the right price in a good building and a good (for me) location, and I’m happy to fix stuff as it won’t cost a lot or take much time.
Specifically, I want to:
– sand and seal several wooden windowsills that have become rough from water damage (I think from plant pots more than rain)
– replace some light switches with modern ones (same size/shape box)
– fix several grouting issues in the bathroom (same tiles, just repair damaged grouting)
I know this is probably going to lose me my damage deposit, but can I be charged anything beyond that? I hope to live there for a long time, so spending some time and money to fix annoyances at the cost of the damage deposit is worth it in my mind.
I’ve been told that after making large changes (like new walls), you are required to undo them when you leave (or pay the landlord to undo them). Is that true, and would the same thing count here? Would I get charged (and be required to pay) anything?
7 comments
Talk to the landlord? Even if they’re unwilling to pay for it themselves, it’s unlikely they will object to objective improvements/fixes.
The stuff about returning things to the original state is more about design and layout changes, not rebreaking things you fix.
EDIT: As another comment points out, this isn’t to say you should just DIY everything. You’d need to take care/measures to ensure you’re not making things worse.
Do not do any electrical or water works in Japan unless you have a proper japanese certification. If anything happens you will be in deep shit as no insurance will cover for the damages.
Legally, all permanent changes (even repairs) must be approved by the landlord unless your contract says it is a pro-DIY property. Without approval, if your make changes then you have to return everything back to its original condition, even if the new condition is better. Often they will let it slide or not notice.
You can be charged beyond your deposit to undo changes and rectify poorly done repair, yes.
Light switches, faucets and things like that can be swapped out and replaced easily. Just keep the original one around to put back at check out.
Ask the landlord if you can do it. If you are willing to pay and employ a professional, and agree not to take the thing with you when you leave I can’t imagine them not agreeing.
We’ve done that a few times: either paying for things or paying for half while the landlord paid the other half.
Ideally you want to get it in writing that you are OK to do what you are wanting to do, at least for the things that cannot be easily be put back to how they were.
Our last place had a shitty old kitchen and we (or rather I) “renovated” the cupboard doors with that vinyl wrap stuff and some new handles. Much better. They verbally said it was OK but I never got it in writing.
Luckily they didn’t mention it or try to charge us for it when we moved out, but in hindsight it would have been better to get confirmation just incase.
It’s generally expected here that you just live in the property as-is and then you move out and they clean it (paid for by you, because reasons) back to good as new and the cycle repeats. I know in the UK (and other places) some landlords are more open to tenants redecorating/doing DIY as long as it looks nice etc. Win-win and all that. Not so much in Japan.
If you asked landlord to fix it, why didn’t you ask if you will fix it by urself? It’s theirs decision
As every one else has said, ask the landlord, or just be prepared to undo the changes. I didn’t ask the landlord and added a better faucet and toilet, and they were happy to keep them as “upgrades”, but I knew they were within their right to have me put everything back.