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Accommodation

 
 

Finding a Room


Foreign students
Consult the Foreign Student Center or Student Office at your university.
You can also find rooms through your university Co-op (Seikyo)
The Foreign Students Guidance Corner of the Center for Domestic and Foreign Students (Naigai Gakusei Center) assists foreign students with finding accommodation. You must register for this service, so make sure to take your
student I.D. and Foreign Residents Registration card with you when you go.

Inquiries
•Center for Domestic and Foreign Students (Foreign Students Guidance Corner) 075-771-0667

General
The Kyoto City International Foundation introduces short and long term accommodation.
Kyoto City International Foundation, Information & Programming Section 075-752-3511
You can find accommodation by consulting a real estate agent in the area of your choice. The introduction and viewing of a property is a free, no obligation service. If possible, have a Japanese person accompany you when you go.
There are also many local magazine guides with listings of available rental properties. If you find a suitable room, directly consult the real estate agency managing that room.

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Signing a Rental Agreement


Important facts to know when signing a rental agreement
1. Guarantor (Hoshonin): A person who will take responsibility on behalf of the renter if any problems arise, for instance with regard to rent etc.
2. Deposit (Shiki-kin): Generally equivalent to one to three months rent. Part of the deposit is returned at the end of the contract.
3. Key money (Rei-kin): A non-refundable fee or ‘gift money’ paid to the landlord
4. Agent’s fee (Tesuryo): A fee of about one month’ rent paid to the agent.
* Rental agreements are normally valid for one year.
* When renewing the rental agreement, a renewal fee (koshin-ryo) of about one to three months rent is necessary. The monthly rental fee may be increased at that time.
* Remodeling and additions cannot be done without permission from the landlord (For instance, painting or hammering a nail in the wall etc.)
* According to Japanese law, it is not permissible to sublet your rental property without the landlord’s permission.

Asking an acquaintance to be a guarantor
1. There is an insurance policy called Comprehensive Renters Insurance for Foreign Students (Ryugakusei Jutaku Sogo Hosho). Signing up for this policy provides protection against certain damages, such as fire, and it also protects your guarantor against unexpected trouble. This makes it much easy for him/her to accept the role of guarantor.
Inquiries
•The Foreign Students Center at your university
•Center for Domestic and Foreign Students 075-771-0667

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Rent


The rent for the following month must be paid by the end of the month. Apart from rent you may also have to pay a maintenance fee, which in many cases is already included in rent.
Maintenance fees: fees paid to cover maintenance of communal facilities (lights at the entrance, cleaning etc.)

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Canceling a Rental Agreement


Inform the landlord as soon as possible. (You must give at least one month’s notice.)
Before leaving, pay all outstanding expenses (utilities etc.) and clean your room thoroughly.
You must return your room key to the landlord or manager.
If the room is not returned to the original condition it was in when you first moved in, repair fees will be deducted from the deposit (shikikin)

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Applying for Public Housing


What is public housing?
It mainly consists of Corporation Apartments, but also some City and Prefectural apartments. The rent for these types of apartments is generally cheaper than private housing.

To apply for public housing you must:
1. have registered as a foreign resident
2. meet the income standard
Inquiries
Housing and Urban Development Corporation Information Center
(Jutaku Toshi Seibi Kodan Kyoto Annai-syo)
075- 255-0499

To apply for City or Prefectural housing you must:
1. have registered as a foreign resident
2. live or work in Kyoto City/Prefecture.
3. meet the income standard
4. have a guarantor
Inquiries
City Housing: Kyoto City Housing Service Company (Kyoto-shi Jutaku Service Kosha)
075-223-2701
Prefectural Housing: Kyoto Prefecture Housing corporation (Kyoto-fu Jutaku Kyokyu Kosha)
075-432-2011/2018
Kyoto City International Foundation
075-752-3511

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