Are utilities included in monthly apartment rent? Explaining contracts, payment methods, and points to note during your stay
When renting or purchasing an apartment or house, you will need to pay your utility bills directly to the electric company, gas company, waterworks bureau, etc. Since each procedure is required separately, when moving, you will need to make various preparations, such as changing your address and having someone present when the water is turned on.
So what about monthly apartments, which are primarily for short-term use?
To put it simply, utilities are generally included in the rent for monthly apartments. Tenants do not need to enter into separate contracts or make separate payments. However, there are exceptions and cases where additional costs may be incurred, so you should check the terms of your contract with the management company.
In this article, we will clearly explain how to sign contracts and pay utility bills for monthly apartments, the average costs, and things to be aware of.
- Utility bills are generally included in the rent
- In what cases may separate utility costs be incurred?
- Payment methods, contract procedures, and billing timing
- Average utility costs for monthly apartments
- Things to be aware of if you spend too much on utility bills
- For monthly apartments, choose "Livemax"
Utility bills are generally included in the rent
In most monthly apartments, utility fees are included in the rent. For example, at the monthly apartment Livemax, water, electricity, and gas fees are all included in the rent.
Therefore, tenants do not need to pay monthly fees to electricity companies, gas companies, water companies, etc., and there is no need to sign contracts with each of the utilities.
In these properties, instead of a pay-per-use system, utilities are charged at a flat rate per day, which is paid evenly throughout the contract period. Even if you are absent during the contract period, utilities will not be reduced. This is because the system is based on a flat rate.
A major advantage of monthly apartments is that you don't need to be present when the gas is turned on or go through the procedures to start using electricity and water, so you can start using them immediately from the first day you move in.
This article explains how monthly apartments work and their other benefits.
In what cases may separate utility costs be incurred?
Although utilities are included in the rent, in some cases there may be separate payments or additional costs.
For companies that use pay-per-day plans
Utility bills for monthly apartments are generally a flat rate that is included in the rent, but some management companies use a pay-as-you-go system where the charges are calculated on a daily basis based on the number of days you actually reside in the apartment.
For example, if you are away for a day during the contract period, a flat-rate plan will incur charges during that time, whereas a pay-per-day plan will only charge you for the number of days you are away, which may result in costs that are closer to the actual situation.
However, whether or not this method is adopted varies depending on the property and company, so it is a good idea to check before signing a contract whether your utility bills are a flat rate or a pay-as-you-go system.
When the number of residents increases
In many monthly apartments, utilities are charged for one person, and additional fees may be charged for the second or subsequent tenants.
For example, if the first person's water and electricity bill is set at 12,000 yen per month, the second person's bill will be around 9,000 yen per month.
If you have small children, you may not be able to claim
Depending on the operating company, children under the age of four may not be charged for utilities. If you are staying with your family, it is a good idea to check these contract terms in advance.
Payment methods, contract procedures, and billing timing
In the case of monthly apartments, the management company has already completed the contracts for various utilities, so tenants do not need to sign individual contracts or make separate transfers. Even if you pay separately, if it is a flat-rate system where you pay in advance with the rent, you can pay by credit card or bank transfer at the same time as the rent.
If you are on a pay-per-use system where you settle your bill after you move out depending on the amount of usage, or if you need to be charged extra due to excessive usage, the details and bill may be sent after you move out. In this case, the most common payment method is bank transfer, but it is recommended that you inquire with the management company beforehand.
Average utility costs for monthly apartments
Actual utility costs vary depending on the operating company, but are generally set at around 400 to 1,000 yen per day. This works out to around 12,000 to 30,000 yen per month.
This amount will vary depending on the property's location, the size of the building, the type of equipment, seasonal usage, etc. Also, if there are multiple tenants, as mentioned above, there may be cases where an additional fee (e.g. 9,000 yen per month) is added for each additional person.
Things to be aware of if you spend too much on utility bills
Utility bills for monthly apartments are generally a flat rate, but if you use too much, you may be charged an additional fee.
For example, the following situations apply:
- Leaving the air conditioner or heater on for a long time
- Leaving the shower or hot water running
- Even though I was away for a long time, I often forgot to turn it off.
If the operating company confirms such a situation, you may be charged an additional fee for exceeding the standard usage amount.
If excessive use is suspected, you will generally be notified in advance. Please rest assured that as long as you use electricity and water responsibly within the scope of your normal daily life, such as by turning them off frequently, there will be no problems.
For monthly apartments, choose "Livemax"
Monthly apartments are chosen by many people, both individuals and corporations, as they can be moved into immediately and do not require contracts for utilities.
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.
