Finding a pet-friendly apartment in Japan isn’t easy for animal lovers. Once they click the “pet-friendly” checkbox on a search filter, their options go from practically hundreds to pretty limited. It’s annoying, and sometimes even heartbreaking. That said, should you sneak a pet into a no-pet apartment in Japan?
With limited housing options that allow pets, some people might be tempted to sneak their beloved companions into non-pet-friendly apartments. However, bypassing rental contracts and hiding a pet can lead to problems with your landlord and neighbors, expensive fees and even evictions.
Let’s explore the risks and consequences of sneaking a pet into a non-pet-friendly apartment in Japan and alternative solutions for pet lovers.
Why Are Pet-Friendly Apartments So Rare in Japan?
The Risk of Sneaking a Pet Into a No-Pet Apartment
Foreigners Face Extra Scrutiny
How to Find Pet-Friendly Apartments in Japan
Why Are Pet-Friendly Apartments So Rare in Japan?
The reason for so few pet-friendly apartments in Japan is due to several factors, such as:
- Property Damage/ Cleanliness: Landlords hesitate to allow pets due to potential damage and odors.
- Limited Space: 90% of Japan’s population is densely packed in urban centers. Thus, there is barely space for one person in an apartment, let alone them, plus a pet.
- Noise: Your walls could be very thin, and the noise could disturb your neighbors.
- Building Regulations: If the building is run by an association, it might not even be up to your landlord.
- Health: Many people have pet allergies. Even if it’s unlikely that your pet could cause the neighbor upstairs’s itchy eyes, your landlord doesn’t want to risk it.
Still, that doesn’t mean people in Japan don’t want pets. The urban lifestyle, small apartments, and historically demanding work culture led to Japan’s pet-cafe boom. So even if you can’t have a pet in your apartment, you’re probably not too far away from a furry friend. Just be sure to consider whether the cafe is humane.
The Risk of Sneaking a Pet Into a No-Pet Apartment
Ultimately, whether to sneak a pet into a non-pet-friendly apartment is up to you, but you’d be taking a huge risk, possibly leading to eviction. Some argue that rental laws in Japan are more favorable towards landlords; fewer protections and limited negotiation power contribute to the perception of weaker tenant rights in Japan. But it is actually difficult to end a lease, even at the end of a renewal contract, without justified cause.
A justified cause is based on the tenant’s needs, circumstances, history and even whether the landlord is offering compensation to the tenant to find a new home. Even then, the landlord must notify the tenant 6–12 months before they intend to end the lease.
However, this can be fast-tracked by breaking the contract, e.g., bringing a pet into a non-pet-friendly apartment. While a landlord might go easy on you, perhaps let you negotiate to pay an extra deposit, they are within their legal right to evict you from the property, and there is precedent to do so.
Foreigners Face Extra Scrutiny
It sounds unfair, but you receive more scrutiny from landlords and nosy neighbors as a foreigner. You can take every measure possible to minimize damage and noise, but the moment your pet is discovered, you (and your pet) are at the mercy of your landlord.
Moreover, consider that you are a representative of the foreign community in Japan. Your landlord might already feel like they are taking a risk renting out to a non-permanent resident. If you break that trust, you might sour their image of foreign tenants and ruin it for someone else down the line.
How to Find Pet-Friendly Apartments in Japan
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- External Link
- https://gaijinpot.com/
1 Comment
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Namahage
Foreign tenants,not tenets.
I wouldn't subject any animal to living in such cramped,noisy, apartments with insufficient insulation.
Moderator: Thanks for pointing out the typo.