If you want to try living together, a monthly apartment is recommended! We explain the costs and things to be aware of when moving in
Monthly apartments come with furniture and appliances, allowing you to start a new life without any initial costs, and are used in a variety of situations, but they are also suitable for trial living together. In this article, we will explain why we recommend monthly apartments as a trial living arrangement, as well as the disadvantages and points to note when doing so.
- Monthly apartments are perfect for trying out cohabitation! Here are three reasons why
- Disadvantages and points to note when trying out living together in a monthly apartment
- Costs for two people living in a monthly apartment
- Key points for successful trial cohabitation
- Try living together at "Monthly Apartment Livemax"
Monthly apartments are perfect for trying out cohabitation! Here are three reasons why
Monthly apartments are ideal for trial living together. We will explain the reasons for this from three perspectives.
- There are no initial costs, so you can start right away.
- Furniture and appliances are included so no prior preparation is required
- The contract is on a monthly basis, so you can change your lifestyle
There are no initial costs, so you can start right away.
Monthly apartments do not require the security deposit or brokerage fees that are required when moving into a regular rental apartment. If you start living together in a regular rental apartment, it will generally cost about six months' rent, so once you decide to live together, you will need to save up money and make preparations.
However, since you can move into a monthly apartment immediately and only have to pay rent, you can start trial living together as soon as you decide you want to.
Furniture and appliances are included so no prior preparation is required
Monthly apartments come equipped with furniture and appliances, so there is no need to purchase new furniture or appliances. When you start living together in a new home, you need to think about the division of roles and the division of costs for each piece of furniture and appliance, such as "which one of you will bring" or "should we buy new furniture and appliances?"
With a monthly apartment, you can start your new life from the day you move in by bringing only your personal belongings and clothes, and when you move out, you only have to carry your personal belongings with you, so you can simply try out the experience of "living together."
You can find more information about the facilities in monthly apartments in this article.
The contract is on a monthly basis, so you can change your lifestyle
Monthly apartments generally have short-term contracts starting from 30 days (1 month). Because you are not tied to a one-year rental contract, you can move on to the next step immediately, whether you decide to move on to full-fledged cohabitation or marriage, or decide to end your cohabitation.
Disadvantages and points to note when trying out living together in a monthly apartment
Monthly apartments are ideal for trying out cohabitation, but compared to regular rentals, there are restrictions, which can also be a disadvantage. Here, we will explain the disadvantages you should be aware of and things to be aware of after moving in.
Monthly apartments are ideal for trial living together. We will explain the reasons for this from three perspectives.
- I can't easily let friends stay over
- Check with the management company to make a duplicate key.
- I can't transfer my residence certificate
- The floor plan for single people has furniture and appliances for one person.
- The interior is not to my liking
I can't easily let friends stay over
In the case of rented apartments, you can easily let each other's friends stay over. However, in the case of monthly apartments, even friends and family are not allowed to stay over without permission. If you want to let each other's family or friends stay over, you must contact the management company in advance. If you let an acquaintance stay over without permission, it will be a breach of contract, so be careful.
Check with the management company to make a duplicate key.
If you are living together, you will need a duplicate key, but in the case of a monthly apartment, you cannot have a duplicate key made without permission. Since monthly apartments are often used for short-term stays and there is a high turnover of residents, some management companies completely prohibit the making of duplicate keys from a security standpoint.
Therefore, you will need to consult with the management company about making a duplicate key. Also, if a duplicate key cannot be made, two people will have to manage one key, which may restrict each other's activities. At Monthly Apartment Livemax, you can get an extra key by contacting the Total Support Center.
I can't transfer my residence certificate
Generally, you cannot transfer your residence card to a monthly apartment. Articles 22 and 23 of the Resident Registration Act state that "you must notify the mayor of the city or town within 14 days of moving in," but monthly apartments are not subject to this law because short-term stays are common.
Therefore, if you stop living alone and try living with someone else, you will need to move your residence registration to your parents' home instead of the monthly apartment. You will also need to submit a mail forwarding notice.
For more information on monthly apartments and resident registration, please see this article.
The floor plan for single people has furniture and appliances for one person.
1R and 1K properties are designed for single occupancy, so even if two people can live in the apartment, the washing machine and refrigerator may be small, and the desk and sofa may be for one person. If you are living with someone in a single-person apartment, you will have to purchase additional furniture and appliances. If you are living together, it is recommended that you use a floor plan for two or more people.
The interior is not to my liking
One advantage of monthly apartments is that they come with furniture and appliances, but there is a limit to how much interior you can customize to your liking, so for people who like interior design, this can be a disadvantage. A monthly apartment should be used as a trial living space, and you should plan the room to suit the two of you when you are ready to move in together.
Costs for two people living in a monthly apartment
Initial costs for two people living together in a monthly apartment
The only cost you will incur when you start living together in a monthly apartment is the first month's rent. In addition to this, depending on the management company, you may have to pay a few thousand yen to a few tens of thousands of yen for management fees, cleaning fees, key replacement fees, etc., but there are no expensive initial costs.
The average rent is 1.2 to 1.5 times that of a comparable general rental apartment. Therefore, the value decreases the longer you live there, but with a general rental, the initial costs, including the deposit and key money, are equivalent to six months' rent, and for a room size for two people in Tokyo-to, this comes to about 500,000 yen, so if you are just trying out living together, a monthly apartment is less of a financial burden and risk.
The initial costs of monthly apartments are explained in detail in this article.
Additional fees in addition to the site listing fee
In many cases, the amount shown when searching for a property is the rent for one person, and additional costs will be incurred if two people are living there. In reality, if more than one person moves in, additional rent will be charged.
[Additional charges for Monthly Apartment Livemax]
Costs for multiple occupants: listed rent x 10% (listed rent x 5% for elementary school students)
Key points for successful trial cohabitation
Decide how to share living expenses
Even if you are just trying to live together, there will be various small expenses in daily life, such as food and consumables, in addition to rent. Sharing money is a large part of the balance of your life, so be sure to discuss things like "who will pay how much" and "what to do about food and utility costs."
Also, as you live together, you will notice various unexpected events and differences in financial sense, so it is important to create opportunities to brush up on your relationship every day, such as by setting aside a certain day every week to talk about things that are on your mind while eating.
Make rules as needed
- Sharing household chores
- How to spend your private time together
- Time when it is okay to invite friends
Surprisingly, rules in life vary from person to person. By making rules as necessary, you can live a stress-free life. On the other hand, if you don't want to be bound by rules, you should discuss that and work together to make your life more flexible.
Try living together at "Monthly Apartment Livemax"
If, after a trial experience of living together in a monthly apartment, you find that your lifestyles match, you are able to divide up household chores and finances well, and you feel comfortable spending time together, then you may want to consider living together in earnest.
On the other hand, if you feel like it's more difficult than you thought, you could try settling down the conflict for a while and see how things go for both of you. The greatest appeal of monthly apartments is that you can try them out for a short period of time, so please give it a try.
Livemax Monthly Apartments has over 20,000 rooms in major cities across Japan, all of which are conveniently located thanks to our unique market research. We also offer special seasonal plans and campaigns, so please feel free to contact us.
