Whenever you’re moving out while in Japan, follow these steps.
1. Give written notice:
Check with Team IPMU to see how much notice you need to give. For contracts around the Kashiwa campus, it’s 30 days, but some expensive apartments in the Metropolitan Tokyo areas require 60 days. You can cancel your contract even it is not at the end of the month. If you cancel it in the middle of the month, you will only be charged prorated rent for the last month.
2.Decide on a move-out day:
You need to make an appointment to walk through the apartment with your landlord or management company staff right before you hand over the keys. It has to be held by the official termination date.
3. Start packing early:
If you start packing as soon as you know you are moving, that gives you time to organize your packing and get rid of stuff you no longer want.
4. Reserve a truck or mover
There are a variety of options. There are full-service movers where a team of professionals will pack and unpack every single item you own. There are also customer-assisted moves (the company name is “Akabo”) for 10,000 yen or less. However, for most moving companies in Japan, you can’t expect to communicate in English. Here are some options we suggest:
Tokyo Helping Hands: They are available to communicate in English. Even their website is in English. Please access their site:http://www.tokyohelpinghands.com
Hire a van type taxi: There is a taxi company, called “Someya Taxi” (Toll free dial: 0120-64-1910), they have van type taxies, so-call “Jumbo Taxi”. If your moving stuff can be fit in a van size vehicle, you can hire a van type taxi at 3,150yen per hour basis.
5. Big stuff you no longer use
Recycle shops: They do not offer much money but they do provide a way to get rid of your stuff, so if you can’t get yourself to throw things out and nobody you know will buy or take them, then it’s a good option. You can ask them to come to your apartment to assess and pick up the larger things such as furniture. They may or may not pay you for your items, they may also charge you.
City’s garbage removal service: If nobody and no recycle shops accept your large furniture or appliances, make sure to call your city’s garbage removal service (“sodai gomi”) to pick up your items as trash. This way you will know if the recycle shop asks you to pay more for removing your items than the trash removal service.
6. Room Restoration:
You are usually charged at least a minimum cleaning fee no matter how much you clean up your apartment. However, if the room is badly damaged or dirty and in need of repair, additional fees may be required. If you leave anything, even a piece of trash, you might be charged extra for disposing of the trash.
7. Contact utility vendors:
|
Vendor |
Before you move |
After you move |
|---|---|---|
|
Electricity |
Notify the electric power company (TEPCO) of the exact date of your transfer to enable them to cancel their service once you have moved. Remember to switch the circuit breaker to OFF(切). |
Switch the circuit breaker to ON (入) and fill out the application form for new customers and post it. The form is usually placed near the breaker or in the mailbox. |
|
Gas |
Notify the Gas Company in advance about the exact date of your transfer and make an appointment for a gas man to visit your apartment to shut down the gas connection. You need to confirm the last date of gas usage. *In case of propane gas, the last bill will be offset against a deposit you have initially paid (it’s usually 10,000yen around Kashiwa campus.) and the remaining balance will be refunded to you later on. |
To start use, you need to contact the gas company in the area to make an appointment for a gas man to visit your new apartment to open the tap with you. |
|
Water/ Sewage |
Call the city's Waterworks Department to notify them in advance about the exact date of your moving and your new address. Only the up-to-date usage will be charged and the bill will be forwarded to your new apartment. |
Call the city’s waterworks department to notify them in advance about the exact date you move in. After you move in, let the tap water run for a while before you use it. |
8. Internet Provider
Transfer/Cancel the contract: Check what type of service is available in your new apartment. If it’s possible to transfer your current service, call the current provider and let them know your new address. If you can’t carry forward the current service, then contact your current ISP for cancellation. (Some ISPs may have a “cancellation period" and charge the entire “monthly fee” for the month of cancellation. Contact your current ISP for further details.)
Mobile/Wimax: If your new apartment doesn’t have an internet connection, Wimax can be an alternative option to have wifi. With Wimax, almost everywhere you go -- on a train or out of the office at lunch, etc. – you can have an internet connection. The Wimax network is available almost everywhere in Japan. The max speed, under best conditions, is typically around 40 Mbps, though some are higher and many lower. The max speed varies depending on the type of mobile device you get.
9. Revise Residence Registration
You need to submit a Notification of Moving Out (tenshutsu todoke), at which time you will be issued a Certificate of Moving Out (tenshutsu shomeisho). Please visit your new city hall with your residence card, the certificate of moving out (issued by the city hall of your former residence), and passport just in case. The new city hall officer will accept your “Notification of Moving In” and revise your address on the back of your residence card. Resident Card & Registration
10. Social Insurance
We will revise your official address recorded for social insurance. Please bring your current health insurance card to the staff office.
11. Commuting Allowance
By the time you move, you need to tell us your new commuting route, we will then adjust your commuting allowance.
Payroll & Commuting Allowance
12. Postal Service
File a change of address with the post office. They will forward postal mails to your new address only for one year.
13. Change of Address Notices:
You should also notify your bank, credit card companies, and cell-phone companies of your address change. If you have online access to your bank accounts and credit cards, change those addresses online at least a few days before you move. You also need to call or go online to update your address for any magazines or memberships.
14. Driver’s License:
Go to the nearest police station with a certificate of residence and your residence card with your new registered address to have your new address written on your license.
15. Security Deposit
Your deposit will be refunded to you about a month after you move out. Any unpaid rent, costs for repairing damages, and the cleaning fee will be deducted from the deposit.
