Getting your deposit back in Japan: move-out cleaning and repair costs

Security deposit return in Japan works like this: you get your deposit (敷金, shikikin) back after you move out, minus unpaid rent and the cost of damage you caused. As of October 2026, the government’s restoration guideline from MLIT (国土交通省) says normal wear and aging are the landlord’s cost, not yours. Your share of repair costs also shrinks the longer you lived there. If the bill is higher than your deposit, you pay the difference.

What can the landlord take from my deposit in Japan?

MLIT’s English guidebook says the deposit protects the landlord against unpaid rent and repairs at move-out. It is usually about 2 months’ rent. The landlord subtracts restoration costs (原状回復) and the cost of disposing of anything you leave behind. The rest comes back to you.

“Restoration” does not mean returning the room to how it looked when you moved in. MLIT’s guideline page says so directly. It means repairing damage from your intent, negligence or use beyond the normal. Aging and normal wear are treated as already covered by your rent. The Civil Code states this too, in force since 1 April 2020.

Two things can reduce your refund before any repair bill:

• Unpaid rent.
• A non-refundable restoration fee (敷引, shikibiki), a part of the deposit your lease fixes in advance. MLIT says it is often required in the Tokai, Kansai and Kyushu regions. Some areas call the deposit “guarantee money” (保証金), often about 6 months’ rent.

What counts as normal wear, and what do I pay for?

Osaka Prefecture’s consumer FAQ gives the clearest lists.

These are guidelines, not a court ruling on your room. A real dispute depends on your contract and the facts.

How are repair costs worked out?

Two rules limit what you owe, even when the damage is yours. The MLIT reference document (March 2023) explains both.

1. Only the damaged part. Your share should cover the damaged area and the minimum repair needed, counted per sheet or per square meter.

2. Your share falls with the years. For most items, MLIT draws a straight line from 100% at move-in to about ¥1 at the end of the item’s useful life. Wallpaper (クロス) uses 6 years. Partial flooring repairs, sliding-door paper, shoji paper and tatami surfaces are exempt from this years rule.

MLIT’s own example: an 8-tatami room, wallpaper at ¥1,200 per square meter, and a tenant who leaves after 4 years in a new unit.

If the landlord also replaces the undamaged walls so the colors match, that extra part is fully the landlord’s cost. MLIT adds that a real unit price above the example is not automatically unfair, and disposal fees can be added.

Can the lease override the guideline?

Yes, in some cases. A special clause (特約) can make you pay for more than normal restoration. Cleaning clauses are the most common: MLIT’s 2022 survey found house cleaning (ハウスクリーニング) and air-conditioner cleaning clauses, often a fixed fee by room size.

Under MLIT’s guideline, such a clause is valid only if all three are true:

1. There is a reasonable, non-exploitative reason for it.
2. You knew it makes you pay more than normal restoration.
3. You clearly agreed to it.

MLIT says some leases also add pet or smoking clauses, so read them before you sign. If a clause in your lease looks unfair, ask a consumer center whether it holds up.

What should I do before I move in and when I move out?

The National Consumer Affairs Center says restoration disputes rise from February to April. They often start because the tenant cannot show that a flaw was there at move-in. One example it gives is a shower head charge the tenant could not prove was already faulty.

What if the landlord’s bill looks wrong?

Take these steps in order:

1. Ask for an itemized breakdown and compare each line with the normal-wear list above.
2. Ask the landlord to explain any charge you do not accept. Send your move-in photos.
3. Call the consumer hotline 188. It gives you a contact at a nearby consumer center (消費生活センター), which gives advice and sometimes mediates with the business.
4. If it stays unresolved, Osaka Prefecture names civil mediation (民事調停) and small claims (少額訴訟), both simpler than an ordinary lawsuit. Ask a lawyer before taking that step.

The 188 line is in Japanese only, according to the Consumer Affairs Agency. Bring a Japanese-speaking friend, or ask your city hall or international center whether it can help with interpretation. We could not confirm interpretation options for every city.

This page is general information, not legal advice for your case.

More guides: renting an apartment · guarantor companies · setting up and closing utilities · moving companies · moving within Japan