Hello! It’s TESEN, managing 4 newly built share houses in Osaka.

I’d like to know more about the move-in procedures for share houses! We often receive questions like this, so we’ve decided to put together a blog about share house screening and move-in procedures. So let’s get started!

First of all, here is the process to move in.

1. Find your favorite share house
2. Viewing(Inspection)
3. Application (Submit documents)
4. Tenant screening
5. Contract and initial deposit
6. Move-in

｜Find your favorite share house

The first step in moving in is to find a place to live. Let’s find a share house you like! Please refer to this blog for tips on finding a share house.

blog：【5 Tips】How to find a share house

｜Viewing(Inspection)

Once you find a share house you like, it’s time to tour! We have a blog about what to look for when touring the share house!

blog：Life is a choices

｜Application (Submit documents)

I even found a share house I like. I’ve even toured the place and I’m convinced I want to live here! The next step is to apply to move in. (This will be the main part of this blog~) If you tell the management company that you want to move in, they will give you an application form. Here are the documents and information required on the application form.

【Required Documents】

• ID with photo
• ID of guarantor or emergency contact person

【Required Information】

• Address
• Place of employment
• Contact information
• information for guarantor and emergency contacts

ID is always required. If you do not have a photo ID, check with the management company to see if a health insurance card or similar document would be acceptable. Guarantor systems for share houses vary from management company to management company, so be sure to check when you visit the share house or decide to move in! For more information on the guarantor system, please see this blog.

blog：Do I need a guarantor for a share house?

If you are currently in school, many operators can use your student ID card as an identification document.

｜Tenant screening

After submitting the application form, you will be screened for tenants. These days, it is common for share houses to have a tenant screening process, and the screening criteria vary from management company to management company. Compared to a studio, etc., the screening process is speedy (usually within 3 business days), regardless of the screening results.

｜Contract and initial deposit

The screening process has been completed. Then you are ready to move in! What awaits you next is the contract and payment of the initial fee. You will need your personal seal (inkan) to sign the contract, so don’t forget to bring it with you. It is also a good idea to make sure you have read and understood the contract! In particular, be sure to check the move-out-related matters.
The initial cost is often referred to as the total cost of the following

• Contract fee
• Deposit
• Insurance fee
• 1 month’s rent

Some operators also charge key money, etc., so be sure to check what is included in the initial cost, rather than simply believing it when you hear “initial cost.

blog：What are the initial costs to move into a share house? We want transparency in our estimates.

｜Move-in

Finally, it’s time to move in! Are you ready to move in? On the day of moving in, the staff from the management company will be there to hand over the keys, give you a lecture on the house rules and how to use the common areas, and introduce you to your new share mates, so it is recommended that you move in around noon!

If you don’t know what to bring to a share house… please refer to this blog~.

blog：What need in a share house?

blog：What don’t need in a share house?

blog：Useful things to use in a share house

How was it? Although this is only a rough guide, we have explained the screening and move-in procedures for share houses. It may come as a surprise, but there are many things to do before moving into a share house, so if you apply at least one month before moving in, you should be able to move in smoothly. We hope this blog will be of some help in preparing for the share house move-in procedures~.