Renting in Japan · Practical guide
Record the problem, find the right repair contact and confirm the next step. Use the Japanese message examples below—or get call support for a non-emergency repair request.
Direct answer
Contact the property’s designated repair desk before booking work.
For a rented apartment, check your lease, resident app or move-in documents for the management company or repair contact. Send the symptoms, photos, when the problem started and your room number. Ask who will arrange inspection, whether approval is needed and how any proposed cost will be explained.
Immediate danger? For fire, a gas smell, electrical sparking or a serious active leak, use the appropriate emergency route and your building’s emergency contact first. Do not wait for a routine reply or LifeAdmin order.
01 · Prepare
Before you report the problem
- Check urgency. Tell the contact whether the problem is ongoing and whether there is a safety concern. Keep away from unsafe equipment; do not dismantle electrical or gas equipment.
- Find the right contact. Look for 修理受付 (repair desk), 管理会社 (management company) or 緊急連絡先 (emergency contact). If unclear, ask the rental agent which desk handles repairs.
- Identify the equipment. Check your lease’s equipment list: was it supplied with the apartment, bought by you or left by a previous resident? Tell the desk if you are unsure.
- Record the facts. Prepare your address, building and room, leaseholder’s name, start date, photos or video, model and error code if visible, and steps already tried.
- Offer access times. Give two or three time slots and a working reply contact. Ask whether you must be present.
02 · Choose your next step
How would you like to handle it?
03 · Do it yourself
Describe what you can observe.
Use your property’s designated resident app, form or email where available. Describe symptoms rather than guessing the cause. Check your resident documents for English or multilingual support before paying for help.
| Problem | Useful facts | What to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Water leak | Location, when it started, whether water is still flowing and photos taken safely | Urgent contact, inspection and access arrangements |
| Air conditioner | What happens when used, model and visible error code | Equipment status and the authorized inspection route |
| No hot water | When it stopped, affected taps and display message | Which desk handles the equipment and the next step |
| Shared facilities | Building location, affected lift, entrance or other facility and symptoms | The building’s designated contact and follow-up |
| Your own appliance | Purchase details, model and warranty information | Manufacturer or seller support; contact management if building equipment may be involved |
Example 1: air conditioner not working
〇〇マンション〇〇号室の〇〇です。〇月〇日から、エアコンが動かなくなりました。エラー表示は〇〇です。写真を添付します。確認や修理の手配について、次に必要な対応を教えていただけますか？
“This is [name] in room [number] at [building]. The air conditioner has not worked since [date]. The error shown is [code]. I’ve attached photos. Could you tell me the next step for inspection or repair?”
Replace the details with your situation. Remove the error-code or photo sentence if it does not apply.
Example 2: report a leak
〇〇マンション〇〇号室の〇〇です。〇月〇日〇時ごろから、〇〇の付近で水漏れしています。現在も水が出ています。至急、連絡先と必要な対応を教えてください。
“This is [name] in room [number] at [building]. There has been a leak near [location] since about [date/time]. Water is still flowing. Please urgently tell me the appropriate contact and what I need to do.”
This wording is for reporting the facts. If water has stopped, say 現在は水が止まっています. For a serious active leak, use the emergency contact directly.
Example 3: no hot water
〇〇マンション〇〇号室の〇〇です。〇月〇日から、お湯が出ません。表示されているエラーは〇〇です。どちらに点検や修理を依頼すればよいか、教えていただけますか？
“This is [name] in room [number] at [building]. There has been no hot water since [date]. The displayed error is [code]. Could you tell me whom to contact for inspection or repair?”
A gas smell is an emergency concern; do not use this ordinary message as the emergency response.
Before agreeing: check arrangements and cost
修理はそちらで手配していただけますか？こちらで業者を手配する場合、事前の承認は必要ですか？費用が発生する場合は、作業前に金額と負担について書面で教えてください。
“Will you arrange the repair? If I arrange a contractor, do I need approval first? If there is a charge, please explain the amount and who will pay in writing before the work.”
Confirm the visit
〇月〇日〇時〜〇時、または〇月〇日〇時〜〇時で対応可能です。訪問日時と、当日の立ち会いが必要かを確認させてください。
“I’m available on [date/time] or [date/time]. Please confirm the visit time and whether I need to be present.”
UR tenant? Use UR’s resident contacts.
UR provides a resident contact directory and directs tenants to the emergency contact posted at their property for incidents outside office hours. Its resident resources include guidance on repair cost allocation and multilingual resident guides. These procedures are for UR housing; use your own landlord’s instructions for other rentals.
LifeAdmin · Japanese call support
Still blocked by the Japanese repair call?
LifeAdmin can contact one management company, landlord or service provider, communicate one clear non-emergency repair request and confirm the next step. You receive a written English summary of the result and any action still needed.
- ¥2,980 · one organization, one clear purpose
- Up to two call attempts
- Normally reviewed within one business day; calls during Japanese business hours
What we’ll need from you
- The organization’s name and phone number
- The leaseholder’s name, full address, building and room; customer or resident number if applicable
- One repair issue, when it started, symptoms, model or error code and relevant photos
- Previous messages or a reference number, and your deadline
- Visit availability and times when you can join a call for identity verification or consent
Provide the details through the task form. If the recipient needs your direct consent or identity check, we’ll explain what you need to do. Never send passwords or one-time codes.
Need a visit or leaving in less than 3 days? Contact the property directly first. LifeAdmin may not be available before your deadline; same-day completion is not guaranteed. For emergencies, use the appropriate emergency route.
Get help with this call →This is communication support, not emergency response, technical diagnosis or a repair service. LifeAdmin does not decide liability, negotiate disputes or provide legal advice. A reply, appointment or successful repair is not guaranteed; the recipient may require you to complete further steps.
04 · Keep a record
Confirm what happens after the report.
- Receipt: save the message date, recipient, reference number and reply.
- Visit: confirm the date, arrival window, attending company and whether you must be present.
- Work and cost: ask for an explanation of proposed work, any estimate and required approval. Keep written confirmation.
- Next update: ask whom to contact if no visit is arranged or the problem continues.
No reply?
Follow up using the original report date and reference. If the situation has worsened, explain the new facts and use the appropriate urgent contact. A routine request does not guarantee that a visit has been booked.
Find consumer consultation services with language support →
Check each service’s location, language and eligibility before contacting it.
05 · Keep the next step clear
Is your repair request ready?
Tick an item once it is arranged. The ticks apply to this visit.
Need to handle another housing task?
Questions
Apartment repair questions
Should I contact the landlord or a contractor first?
For apartment equipment, check the designated repair procedure and contact the management company or landlord before booking work yourself. Ask who arranges inspection and whether approval is needed. For your own appliance, check seller or manufacturer support; report any building-related concern to management.
Will the landlord pay for the repair?
Do not assume the charge in advance. Check the equipment’s status and ask for the basis of any proposed charge and a written explanation before agreeing to paid work. If responsibility is disputed, seek appropriate advice.
Can LifeAdmin arrange an urgent repair today?
Same-day completion is not guaranteed. Requests are normally reviewed within one business day, with calls during Japanese business hours. Use the building’s direct or emergency route when urgent. LifeAdmin is not an emergency service.
Can LifeAdmin talk to both management and a contractor?
The listed phone task covers one organization, one clear purpose and up to two call attempts. Calls to a second organization are outside that task’s stated scope.
What if they need my consent or identity check?
You may need to join a call or complete the recipient’s verification yourself. Include your available times when submitting the request. Communication support does not replace steps that must be completed by the tenant.
Related guides
Continue with life in Japan
One clear next step
Need help explaining a non-emergency repair issue?
Have LifeAdmin communicate the request and confirm what the recipient needs next.
Get repair call help →Before buying, check what we’ll need from you. For urgent or unsafe situations, use the direct emergency route first.
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Official sources
Checked 5 October 2026. Follow your lease, resident documents and the property’s designated procedure.
- MLIT: Apartment Search Guidebook (English PDF), for general rental-housing information
- UR: resident contact directory and out-of-hours incident contact guidance (Japanese)
- UR: resident guides and repair cost-allocation resources
- National Consumer Affairs Center: consultation services with language support