Spring relocations in Japan can drain your budget faster than expected, and garbage disposal fees are the biggest surprise.

For many people when they think of spring in Japan, the first thing that comes to mind is rows of cherry blossom trees in full bloom lining the riverbanks of the country’s towns and cities. However, for the working residents of Japan, spring also heralds a procession of cardboard boxes.

From late February through early April, the country enters into moving mode as new jobs and school terms begin in April, with moving companies and real estate agents working in overdrive to support the many changing households. Naturally, this often sees their prices hiked up in response to the higher demand, but for people who have yet to undergo their first move in Japan, moving house comes along with several fees they may not have been expecting.

A survey of 500 people who have moved house at least once was conducted by Japanese real estate information site AlbaLink and listed many things that people were surprised at when they moved house. Yet, the biggest surprise fee, for 30 percent of the respondents, was not the key money or the moving truck, but oversized garbage disposal fees they had to pay for large items that they weren’t taking with them to their new place.

These fees were ranked as a bigger shock in the survey than furniture purchases, (29 percent) appliance purchases (14.4 percent), moving company fees (11.0 percent), or the cost of new curtains (7.8 percent) for windows that are inevitably too large for your current ones.

▼ Can we please standardize window sizes?

Oversized garbage disposal in Japan is serious business, so if you think you can just set all your no-longer-needed large items out on the street on the next garbage pick-up day and call it a job well done, you’re in for a big surprise.

Oversized garbage items, referred to as sodai gomi in Japanese, generally require:

  • Booking a collection with your local city office
  • Purchasing official disposal stickers
  • Attaching them correctly
  • Putting items out on the assigned date

Fees vary by municipality, and they can add up quickly with the more stuff you have. What can be even worse, though, is that sometimes there are items that you don’t think are oversized that are classified as such, like umbrellas and small suitcases, depending on where you’re located. Or if you’re seeking to dispose of some household appliances, such as refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, and air conditioners, then Japan’s recycling laws kick in, needing a recycling fee to be paid to be properly thrown away.

Disposal stickers for even small pieces of furniture or compact appliances can costs thousands of yen (equivalent to dozens of dollars) each, and since stickers need to be purchased for each individual item, the fees can quickly add up, particularly if you are combining households. If you haven’t budgeted for oversized garbage disposal on top of all of the other moving costs, it’s going to feel like a gut punch when your money is already pouring out of your wallet.

Other standard costs when signing a contract for a new place include:

  • A refundable security deposit (“shikikin”): usually one to two months’ rent
  • Key money (“reikin”): a non-refundable “gift” to the landlord, usually one to two months’ rent
  • Agency fee, paid to the real estate agent, usually equal to one month’s rent plus tax
  • First month’s rent
  • Lock change fee
  • Change-of-occupant cleaning fee, which is sometimes charged upfront or deducted from the deposit at the end of the contract
  • Fire/liability insurance

There’s also the guarantor system to have to deal with, as most contracts often require a guarantor, who is legally responsible if you fail to pay the rent, and needs to be a person in Japan. An alternative, used by many foreign residents who don’t happen to know anyone who can act as their guarantor, is to use a guarantor company, which comes with an additional initial fee usually equal to 50 to 100 percent of one month’s rent.

So, you’re already looking at four to six months’ worth of rent to be paid before you’ve even stepped foot in your new home, Don’t forget that the moving company is also going to take a hefty chunk of your funds to get you on your way, and once you add in oversized garbage disposal fees, all those costs can really throw a wrench in an otherwise well-planned budget.

If you can save money, then you should absolutely do so, and the same survey highlighted some of the common places people tend to cut costs. 40.6 percent of respondents recommend carrying as many of your belongings as you can by yourself, as every extra object crammed into your suitcase or car is a little more money saved. Of course, you could always try to reduce your amount of belongings where possible (37.6 percent). You could sell items in good condition to second-hand stores, sell them online, or pass them on to friends who might want them.

Other answers included looking for a cheaper moving company (11.0 percent), because it’s perfectly acceptable to get multiple quotes before deciding one despite how much they push you for an answer, avoid moving during the peak season (4.8 percent), or to avoid the full-packing service some companies offer and do your packing yourself (4.4 percent).

However, at a time when you’re focused on cutting costs, what services do people recommend as actually worth spending money on? A reliable moving company is first and foremost (38.4 percent), as you want someone you can trust to handle all of your precious belongings.

Pre-moving-out cleaning services came in second at 8.2 percent, because there are some landlords and management companies out there who will deduct money from your security deposit for anything found to be “dirty” on the final inspection. Because of that, some people prefer the peace of mind of asking a professional to clean for them, which usually ends up cheaper than what they would otherwise be charged.

▼ They’ll clean all the places you would’ve forgotten about.

Some people are too busy with work or family life, so actually find the moving company’s packings services very useful (7.4 percent), whereas others need a hand installing their appliances (5.8 percent), such as the air conditioners, and some people invest in the unwanted item collection services (5.0 percent) to not have to deal with their municipality’s convoluted garbage rules.

Moving in Japan can feel overwhelming and complicated initially, but it’s manageable with enough preparation. Be sure to budget a little extra beyond what you think you might need, book early if it’s spring, measure the windows before buying curtains, and double-check what counts as oversized trash.

Source: PR Times
Top image: Pakutaso
Insert images: Pakutaso (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
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