· Updated
By the HalfKey team
Do Tokyo monthly apartments charge an agent fee?
Direct bookings and broker-arranged rentals can have different charges even for similar furnished apartments. Ask who is contracting with you, then compare every non-refundable fee rather than assuming a monthly stay always avoids brokerage costs.
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A Tokyo monthly apartment may be available without an agent fee, but the length of your stay doesn't guarantee that. Check who is arranging the booking, who signs the agreement with you and whether you must pay a separate brokerage or booking fee.
The term 仲介手数料 (chūkai tesūryō) means brokerage commission. It is different from rent, a refundable deposit and a company’s administration charge. If it appears on your quote, ask who receives it and what service it covers.
A direct booking can have fewer parties
When you book directly with the company renting the apartment to you, there may be no separate broker involved in your transaction. That helps explain why some furnished offers advertise no brokerage fee.
The company may own the apartment, manage it for someone else or rent it from the owner with permission to rent it to you. The agreement should tell you who is renting the apartment to you.
As one published example, Plaza Homes' monthly-apartment guide says its monthly apartments have no brokerage fee. Check that the particular apartment and quote you are considering follow that policy.
Separate fees from rent paid in advance
Oakhouse’s move-in guidance lists a non-refundable contract fee separately from rent. It also changes the initial rent payment for a start date from the 21st onward: the part-month amount is collected together with the next month’s rent.
The added month is an advance rent payment, not a new brokerage charge. In a hypothetical quote with ¥50,000 for the remaining days and ¥150,000 for the following month, the rent part of the initial payment is ¥200,000. Calling all ¥200,000 “move-in fees” would hide the fact that it pays for accommodation.
For a longer version of the same example, the remaining days cost ¥50,000, the next two months cost ¥150,000 each, and the agreed contract and cleaning fees are ¥30,000 and ¥50,000. Assume both fees are due initially and there are no other charges.
| Payment timing | Next month collected initially | Rent collected one month at a time |
|---|---|---|
| Initial rent and fees | ¥280,000 | ¥130,000 |
| Rent still to pay later | ¥150,000 | ¥300,000 |
| Full stay cost | ¥430,000 | ¥430,000 |
The first arrangement needs ¥150,000 more immediately, but the stay costs the same. That difference is important if it would exceed your available card credit or leave too little spending money. Check which months the first payment covers so you do not mistake advance rent for a fee or count the same rent twice.
Check the fee behind the label
A quote with no brokerage commission may still have an application, booking or administration fee. Ask which fees you must pay, whether you can get them back if you cancel and whether they are already included in the quoted total. One company may combine charges that another lists separately, so compare what each quote pays for.
For example, suppose two apartments have identical rent and utilities. Apartment A has no brokerage fee but a ¥30,000 booking charge and a ¥50,000 departure clean. Apartment B has a ¥20,000 arrangement fee and a ¥30,000 clean. Under these illustrative terms, B's non-rent charges total ¥50,000 against A's ¥80,000, despite A's “no agent fee” headline.
The right comparison is the full cost for your dates. Our fee-breakdown request gives you a message to send when a listing doesn't show enough detail.
If someone is helping you find the apartment
Ask whether that person represents the rental company, is a licensed broker, or offers a separate relocation or search service. Find out whom you will pay and when. A search service may involve a separate agreement from the apartment itself.
Before agreeing to a fee, ask how much you will pay including tax and whether you will get any of it back if you cancel. Keep the answer in writing. If you are unsure whether a brokerage charge is permitted, ask a qualified adviser to check the actual agreement and fee.
Read the agreement beyond the commission
Other upfront payments may include a refundable deposit, non-refundable key money paid to the landlord, or a rent-guarantee company's fee. The guarantee company pays the landlord if you miss rent, then asks you to repay it. Ask for those charges to be listed separately in the quote. Check which can be refunded, how long you must rent the apartment and what you would owe if you cancelled.
Before comparing prices, confirm that the apartment accepts your dates and number of guests, and that you can provide the required documents.
Send the apartment name or listing number and your dates with this request: “What charges must I pay? Am I booking directly with your company, or is someone else arranging the booking? Who receives each brokerage or booking fee, and would any of it be refunded if I cancelled?” Keep the reply with your final quote.