As more properties take on foreign-national tenants, landlords and management face the question of what preparation is needed. Here's an overview of the practical work involved in accepting them — preparing a multilingual move-in guide, setting up an emergency contact system, and more.
- In accepting foreign-national tenants, the practical preparation for after they move in often matters more than the screening criteria themselves.
- Preparing a multilingual "move-in guide" makes it easier to promote understanding of the property's rules for daily life.
- Set up an emergency contact system in advance — contact details for the management company, the landlord, and an interpreting service, among others.
- Carefully explaining rules for daily life — trash disposal, noise, and the like — before move-in helps prevent disputes.
- Regular follow-up after move-in also makes it possible to catch the seeds of trouble early.
The Basic Stance for Accepting Foreign-National Tenants
Turning down tenants across the board on the grounds of nationality alone isn't desirable in practice either. What actually leads to smooth rental management is the preparation made after accepting a tenant. The basic approach is to design in advance how necessary information will be conveyed, on the assumption there will be differences in language and living habits. Working with a management company that has experience accepting foreign-national tenants makes it easier for a first-time owner to get this preparation done.
Preparing a Multilingual Move-In Guide
Rules taken for granted in Japanese rentals — how to sort trash, how to use common areas, being mindful of noise — can be hard to communicate when they differ from the habits of a tenant's home country. Preparing a move-in guide in multiple languages (including English and "easy Japanese," yasashii nihongo) and explaining it at move-in makes it easier to prevent misunderstandings. Using diagrams and illustrations in the explanation can also make it easier to get the point across even across a language barrier.
Setting Up an Emergency Contact System
It's important to give tenants clear guidance on where to contact in situations that need urgent attention — equipment breakdowns, water leaks, and the like. Beyond the management company's contact details, setting up access to an interpreting service or a multilingual call center makes the response smoother in an emergency. Posting the contact details inside the unit, so they can be checked immediately when needed, is also an effective step.
Explaining Daily-Life Rules in Advance to Prevent Disputes
Trouble with daily life — trash-disposal rules, noise, how to handle guests and additional occupants — often stems from inadequate explanation beforehand. Going beyond the important matters explanation (jūyō jikō setsumei) given at signing, and explaining things along the lines of how daily life actually flows in the building, makes it easier to prevent trouble after move-in. Setting up a chance to walk the tenant through the property and explain things right after move-in is also effective at preventing misunderstandings.
Follow-Up After Move-In
Following up not just right after move-in but again after some time has passed, to check in on how things are going, makes it possible to resolve small questions or concerns early. Having the management company set up a system for periodic contact makes it easier to respond to disputes with neighbors before they escalate. Building a relationship where tenants feel comfortable raising concerns also contributes to longer tenancies.
The Benefits of Having a Solid System in Place
Setting up multilingual support and a follow-up system doesn't only benefit foreign-national tenants — it also raises the overall quality of management for Japanese tenants as well. As a vacancy countermeasure too, broadening the range of tenants a property can accommodate carries real value. For the apartment-hunting process from the tenant's point of view, see our related article, How Apartment Hunting Works in Japan, as well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do we need special screening criteria for accepting foreign-national tenants?
Changing the screening criteria across the board on the grounds of nationality isn't desirable. The basic approach is to follow the same tenant-screening thinking as usual — income, identity verification, and so on.
How much multilingual support should we prepare?
This varies by the property's tenant base, but it's a good idea to prioritize translating the information most directly tied to daily life — the move-in guide, emergency contacts, and the like.
What can we do to prevent disputes over daily-life rules?
Beyond the explanation given at signing, it's effective to explain rules — trash disposal, noise, and the like — along concrete, everyday lines, and to follow up after move-in as well.
Summary
In accepting foreign-national tenants, what matters more than the screening criteria themselves is the practical work that comes after acceptance — preparing a multilingual move-in guide, setting up an emergency contact system, and explaining daily-life rules in advance. It's advisable to have this system in place while working together with the management company.