How much to pay after moving out?

I just moved out of an apartment I lived at for 10 years. The bill for the cleaning/damages just came and its totaling almost 290,000yen. I know I have to pay for the cleaning and actual damages we left, like the door with a hole and crack in the window, everything else I find unreasonable.

I forgot to remove a wallpaper on the shoe rack door and they are charging me 25,000 to remove it. Also they are making me responsible for the replacement of tatami mats that I never even set foot onto since it had carpet since day 1 lol, that's 35,000.

Is there a guideline on what is actually considered wear and tear? I refuse to sign the paper they sent me just because I find it ridiculous.

Oh and how to say the ff please:
-I refuse to sign
-wear and tear

Thank you.

This has been a long-standing issue between landlords and tenants.

There was a rather recent thread on this:
https://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?0+162362

Yes, going by the rule, landlords can only charge for any damage beyond the usual tear and wear, but if you live long enough, the landlords have tended to want to take the opportunity of the tenant moving out to do full housecleaning, change wallpapers, tatami mats, etc., and want to charge the expenses to the one just moving out.

But now recently some tenants (among local tenants as well) started voicing their doubts about it… so I believe you should refuse the current bill as it is, and see how the landlord/estate agent react to it.

I am rephrasing your phrases a bit:

- I cannot sign this, because the amount does not convince me.
Kingaku ni nattoku ga ikimasen node, sain dekimasen.

- Usual/normal wear and tear [due to usual use]:
[Futsuu no shiyou ni yoru] tsuujou sonmou

- Natural deterioration due to aging (of the buildings)
Keinen rekka

For the normal wear & tear, and deterioration with age (which happens anyways) the tenant should not be held liable.

There is contract based between the owner of the company and you.
There should be mentioned what will be done once you leave the apartment.

Typically there is a base of \1,000-1,250 per square meter for the standard wear and tear, plus extra if there is further damage such as stains, mold and dents.
Over-sized items can’t be thrown away with regular garbage. You actually have to pay a surcharge

If you refuse to sign the person or company who is your guarantee (if mentioned) has to pay the costs.
There is not much you can do than to discuss with the owner, take a lawyer which cost money.
My advise is always take pictures of the place before you get in and when you leave to have evidence.

Some owners are using foreigners to get extra money this way.

https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/comments/c9cjfn/landlord_bill_for_2...

And this, may or may not help but will shed some light to your situation.

If you refuse to sign the person or company who is your guarantee (if mentioned) has to pay the costs.

This is certainly not true, especially if you lived in the place for ten years. And how could they enforce that even if it were true?

Just refuse to pay and leave it at that. You can even make a counter-offer and demand that they return your entire deposit, and threaten to bring them to court if they refuse.

@Umami

You sentence is contradiction, first you said certainly not true and than you ask how they would enforce it.

First I do not know OP situation, contract, rental owner etc.
There are contracts mention guarantor (hoshonin) if you are a non-Japanese, even sometimes for Japanese.

Such guarantor can be a company (hoshonin-gaisha), University or a person who acts as the insurance for your rental contract, promising to cover any rent or damage costs if you can’t pay or suddenly terminate your contract by leaving the country.

how could they enforce.

I hope I do not have to explain the legal meaning of a contract.

Thanks, I know what a guarantor is. I'm just going by what my lawyer told me about their actual legal responsibilities, and they are very limited.

when you rent a room, probably you need 保証会社. if you are listed on their blacklist, you may have difficulty to rent a room in future.
although you can fight to the owner, as suggested by Umami Dearest, it is better for you to make negotiation with the owner.

If OP is using a commercial guarantor company, then he should consult with them. Commercial guarantors don't fall for this kind of illegal bullshit from landlords.

Hi everyone, thank you for the replies.

Back in the day, they didn't require a guarantor, so it was just under my name. No guarantor company too - I didn't know about that until recently when I started looking for apartments.

I went to the real estate agent last Tuesday to ask about the charges, and they said some of it are actually in the contract which I unfortunately didnt have with me at that time. Anyways, I have the contract that I signed now but not sure where to look.

I left the place and told them I cannot sign it because I think they are over charging me. They just said "Hayaku sign shinai to dame desu". Now they won't stop calling me every other day. Not that Im avoiding their call, it just happens that I'm always at work when they call me and I finish late hours so.

Went to 法テラス today to get some advice so they referred me to the public attorney's office which hopefully I could get ahold of next week.

Is there anyway I can post a photo of the contract and what they are charging me? (And how) Maybe someone can explain real quick, it takes a long time having a lawyer involved. I just want to know if I'm actually making sense trying to argue this.

Thanks.

Dena,

If you want to post a photo of the contract here, you need to upload the photo somewhere on a free photo-sharing website and post the link here.

Or, if you really do need help, register as a user (so that your name gets associated with your e-mail address); I am Japanese living in Japan, and willing to help with reading the contract - I will leave a message with the admin that they could put us in contact if you so wish. (But please do not post your email address right here on public forum.)