So basically I have rented this apartment in Western Tokyo for about 5 years now. Other than the usual wear and tear on the apartment there has been one major issue that I have run into that I am not entirely sure what to do with, and has been a constant source of stress.
Usually during the winter you can feel some perspiration rise up out of the cushion flooring during the winter. I never really thought about this as I had never lived on the first floor in Japan before with cushion flooring so never really thought anything of it. But as of about a year ago, the structural flooring in the middle of my apartment has started creaking and making cracking noises a lot, with the most recent event being that the boards are clearly broken underneath and their being a noticeable indentation. I don’t jump around my apartment, nor do I drop anything heavy on my floor. I really just walk a lot in this spot. Another thing to note is I am looking to move out of this apartment and upgrading soon.
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Essentially what I am asking, is what would be best advised to do here? Should I find a professional to repair these floor boards or leave it be and pay for the inevitable repair fees for when I move out to another apartment?
1 comment
1. You cannot be forced to pay for 経年劣化, i.e. the inevitable wear and tear caused by someone living in a home.
2. There are often arguments over what exactly “wear and tear” is, and some contracts have a clause that try and weasel out of the landlord’s obligations (these clauses are generally speaking not legally enforceable but landlords love to point to them when the time comes to return your deposit)
3. If you’re on the ground floor in an older building, what’s probably happened is that the base of the underfloor supports have rotted, either through damp or termites, causing the floor to overflex when you step on it and accelerating the damage to the floor itself. (See https://polaris-hs.jp/zisyo_syosai/syosai_img/z_yuka_toshizu.gif for an example of the typical underfloor construction for a traditional (non-2×4) home).
4. I suggest you tell the landlord/maintenance company because technically they are obligated to repair it to avoid the risk of you sticking your foot through the floor and getting hurt, and it’s easier to have that conversation while you’re still living there instead of when you’re in the process of moving out.
5. If they make noises about charging you for repairs, note that you *can* get someone to repair the floor and then subtract the cost from your rent, and it will be perfectly legal. This is usually a nuclear option, so just pointing out that this is something you *could* do if they refuse to play ball may be enough to push them in the right direction.