{"id":50446,"date":"2025-11-28T14:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-28T05:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/?p=50446"},"modified":"2025-12-25T18:07:13","modified_gmt":"2025-12-25T09:07:13","slug":"paying-rent-late-in-japan-what-happens","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/japanese-apartment-life\/paying-rent-late-in-japan-what-happens\/","title":{"rendered":"Paying Rent Late in Japan: What Happens?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Some people may have fallen behind on their rent payment for reasons such as &#8220;I&nbsp;forgot to&nbsp;check my bank balance and the rent&nbsp;payment didn\u2019t go through&#8221; or &#8220;I accidentally forgot the payment&nbsp;due&nbsp;date.&#8221;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A delay of just a few days usually&nbsp;isn\u2019t&nbsp;a major issue. However, if&nbsp;late payments&nbsp;continue, you may receive reminder notices, face contract termination, or in the worst case, be ordered to vacate the property.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this article, we\u2019ll explain what to do if your rent payment is&nbsp;late, how to handle the situation properly, and introduce public&nbsp;support systems&nbsp;and consultation&nbsp;centers you can contact when&nbsp;you&#8217;re&nbsp;having difficulties paying your rent.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.villagehouse.jp\/en\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;utm_campaign=2022&amp;utm_content=2025-11-28-native-link-1x1-lateonrent-enhp-readers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Village House<\/a>, we offer a wide range of rental&nbsp;properties&nbsp;across all 47 prefectures of Japan, with monthly rent starting from just \u00a520,000!&nbsp;If you\u2019re looking for a new place to live, be sure to&nbsp;check out our website!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understanding rent payment rules in Japan&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-8.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50447\" style=\"width:768px\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-8.png 900w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-8-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-8-768x512.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>In Japanese rental housing, it is common&nbsp;practice&nbsp;to pay rent in advance. For example,&nbsp;the rent for&nbsp;April&nbsp;is paid on a&nbsp;designated&nbsp;date in March.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>There are two main reasons&nbsp;why rent is paid in advance:&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>To ensure rent collection<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even if&nbsp;the&nbsp;tenant suddenly&nbsp;has difficulties making&nbsp;payments, paying rent in advance helps reduce the risk of late or missed payments. Advance rent payment is a&nbsp;mechanism&nbsp;designed to protect the landlord\u2019s rental income.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>To prevent issues when moving out<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Since rent is paid in advance,&nbsp;you\u2019ve&nbsp;already paid the rent for your final month. After you move out, the landlord just calculates the amount for the days you&nbsp;actually stayed&nbsp;and adjusts the difference.&nbsp;This&nbsp;can&nbsp;help prevent&nbsp;issues&nbsp;like&nbsp;forgetting to apply the final daily adjustment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The&nbsp;rent&nbsp;payment due date is often clearly stated in the contract,&nbsp;for example,&nbsp;&#8220;Transfer the following month\u2019s rent&nbsp;to&nbsp;the&nbsp;designated account by the 25<sup>th<\/sup>&nbsp;of each month&#8221; or &#8220;Automatic&nbsp;bank withdrawal on&nbsp;the 28<sup>th<\/sup>.&#8221;&nbsp;Tenants are obligated to&nbsp;pay rent on this specified date.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you miss the payment deadline, you may be charged a late payment fee as&nbsp;stated&nbsp;in&nbsp;the&nbsp;contract. This fee is typically calculated at an annual rate of up to 14.6% on the unpaid amount.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If late payment continues, you may eventually receive certified mail demanding payment,&nbsp;termination of your rental contract,&nbsp;or&nbsp;even&nbsp;an eviction order.&nbsp;If you know that your payment will be delayed due to personal or financial circumstances, it\u2019s important to contact your landlord or property management company as soon as possible&nbsp;to avoid any disputes.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Source:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/laws.e-gov.go.jp\/law\/412AC0000000061\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Article 9 Item 2 | Consumer Contract Act<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Grace periods and&nbsp;late payment&nbsp;fees: What\u2019s legally allowed&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-11.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50455\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-11.png 900w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-11-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-11-768x512.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>When&nbsp;rent is not paid by the due date, the landlord or property management company has the right to charge a late payment fee. While there is no legally defined grace period under Japanese law, in practice, many landlords and property management companies allow a grace period of several days to about one week.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to Article 419 of the Civil Code, when a monetary obligation is not fulfilled, the statutory interest rate in effect at the time&nbsp;of&nbsp;the delay is applied. Currently, the statutory interest rate is set at 3% per year, but if a separate contractual interest rate is specified in the rental&nbsp;contract, that rate will take precedence.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, under Article 9, Item 2 of the Consumer Contract Act, any late payment interest rate exceeding 14.6% per year is considered invalid in rental contracts involving consumers. Therefore, in practice,&nbsp;\u201c14.6% per year\u201d&nbsp;is generally treated as the upper limit.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sources:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/laws.e-gov.go.jp\/law\/129AC0000000089\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Civil Code Article 419&nbsp;|&nbsp;Demand for Payment of Monetary Obligations<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/laws.e-gov.go.jp\/law\/412AC0000000061\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Article 9 Item 2 | Consumer Contract Act<\/a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.moj.go.jp\/MINJI\/minji07_00317.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ministry of Justice \u2013 Statutory Interest Rates Effective from April 1, 2023<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.villagehouse.jp\/en\/?utm_source=vhblog&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;utm_campaign=2020&amp;utm_content=2019-12-16-static-property-768x300-v1-enhp-sitevisitors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/768x300-EN.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1862\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/768x300-EN.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/768x300-EN-300x117.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">First warning and communication with your landlord or real estate agency&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-16.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50479\" style=\"width:764px;height:auto\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-16.png 900w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-16-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>When&nbsp;your rent payment is late, the landlord or property management company will usually contact you to inform you that \u201cthe rent has not been received.\u201d&nbsp;This&nbsp;reminder does not mean you will be forced to move out; it is simply a confirmation or reminder.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you receive such a notice, it\u2019s important to respond honestly.&nbsp;Specifically explain&nbsp;the reason for the&nbsp;late payment&nbsp;and provide a specific date for when you plan to pay the rent. Avoid giving vague answers, as this can create&nbsp;distrust and may&nbsp;result&nbsp;in&nbsp;your&nbsp;guarantor company or&nbsp;guarantor being contacted.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Moreover,&nbsp;if you ignore the reminder and fail to respond, the landlord may consider the&nbsp;missing&nbsp;payment to be long-term delinquency, which could result in termination of your rental contract or&nbsp;even&nbsp;an eviction order. In general, a delay of about one month won\u2019t immediately lead to eviction, but it\u2019s best to act quickly and communicate sincerely.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A&nbsp;payment&nbsp;reminder is not meant to blame the tenant, but to confirm the situation and discuss future action.&nbsp;Start by&nbsp;responding&nbsp;via&nbsp;phone or email,&nbsp;then apologize&nbsp;and clearly state&nbsp;when you plan to make the payment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When the guarantor company steps in&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"903\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-17.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50483\" style=\"width:768px\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-17.png 903w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-17-300x199.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-17-768x510.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 903px) 100vw, 903px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>After discussing your situation with your landlord or property management company, make sure to&nbsp;document&nbsp;the details in writing, not just verbally.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Relying only on&nbsp;verbal agreements&nbsp;can lead to misunderstandings. For example, the landlord might later say, \u201cI&nbsp;don\u2019t remember making that promise,\u201d or the tenant might feel pressured by demands like, \u201cPay everything at once or your contract will be&nbsp;terminated!\u201d Such miscommunication can cause disputes&nbsp;between both parties.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To avoid misunderstandings and problems, it&#8217;s important to clearly state the payment amount, due date, and method&nbsp;in writing. Having it in writing makes it easier to check later&nbsp;and serves as evidence that&nbsp;both parties reached an agreement,&nbsp;even if payment is delayed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Items to include in the agreement<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"1\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Date of the agreement&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"2\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Amount of unpaid rent (and the period it covers)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"3\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Payment method and&nbsp;schedule&nbsp;(e.g., \u201cX amount to be paid on [date], followed by X amount on the same date each month\u201d)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"4\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Actions to be taken&nbsp;in the event of&nbsp;a breach of agreement (late payment&nbsp;fee, contract termination, etc.)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<ol start=\"5\" class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Signatures and seals of both parties&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Legal procedures: Eviction and contract termination&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-10.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50456\" style=\"width:768px\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-10.png 900w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-10-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-10-768x512.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>If a tenant&nbsp;falls behind on their rent payment,&nbsp;the&nbsp;rent guarantor&nbsp;company will temporarily cover the rent&nbsp;on their behalf and&nbsp;pay&nbsp;the landlord or property management company. This process, known as \u201csubrogation payment\u201d, is designed to reduce the landlord\u2019s financial risk in cases of unpaid rent.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When a rent&nbsp;payment is overdue, the landlord or management company will request payment from the guarantor company. The guarantor company will&nbsp;then pay&nbsp;the overdue&nbsp;rent, and once the payment to the landlord is complete, the tenant will repay the same&nbsp;amount to the guarantor company.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is important to note that,&nbsp;in some cases, the tenant will be charged both the guarantee&nbsp;service&nbsp;fee&nbsp;stated&nbsp;in the contract&nbsp;as well as unpaid rent,&nbsp;late payment&nbsp;fees, and other related expenses,&nbsp;which could result in a significant burden on the tenant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more info, check out our blog:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/japanese-apartment-life\/rental-apartment-woes-heres-where-to-get-expert-advice\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Rental Apartment Woes? Here\u2019s Where to Get Expert Advice!<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How long before eviction happens? Typical timeline&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-18.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50487\" style=\"width:768px\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-18.png 900w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-18-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-18-768x512.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2460<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;From&nbsp;the missed payment to the first reminder<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If rent is not paid by the due date, the landlord or property management company will contact the tenant by phone or email to request payment. If payment is still not confirmed after several attempts, a&nbsp;formal demand for payment will be sent by certified mail.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2461<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;Contract termination notice<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If&nbsp;rent&nbsp;continues&nbsp;to be unpaid, the landlord will send you a &#8220;Contract Termination Notice.&#8221; This will terminate the rental contract. In most cases, the period between the initial reminder and contract termination is approximately one to three months.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2462<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;Eviction lawsuit (eviction order)<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the tenant does not vacate the property even after the contract has been terminated, the landlord may file an&nbsp;\u201ceviction&nbsp;lawsuit\u201d&nbsp;with the court. During the trial, the court will review&nbsp;any outstanding payments and&nbsp;details of the&nbsp;rental contract, and then&nbsp;an eviction order will be issued.&nbsp;It typically takes around two months from the time of filing the lawsuit to the time of the judgment.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>\u2463<\/strong><strong>&nbsp;Eviction enforcement<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If the tenant&nbsp;still&nbsp;does not move out after the&nbsp;court\u2019s judgment has been&nbsp;finalized, the landlord&nbsp;can&nbsp;request&nbsp;for&nbsp;eviction enforcement.&nbsp;First,&nbsp;a&nbsp;&#8220;demand for eviction (eviction notice)\u201d&nbsp;will be issued&nbsp;by an&nbsp;enforcement officer. Then, approximately one month later, a forced eviction date is set, during which the tenant\u2019s belongings may be removed and the locks changed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Please note that actions such as changing locks or disposing of&nbsp;the tenant\u2019s&nbsp;belongings without&nbsp;a court order&nbsp;amount to&nbsp;&#8220;<a href=\"https:\/\/laws.e-gov.go.jp\/law\/129AC0000000089\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">taking matters into one&#8217;s own hands<\/a>&#8221; and are prohibited by law. If you&nbsp;experience such behavior, you should contact the police or a lawyer for assistance.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.villagehouse.jp\/en\/?utm_source=vhblog&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;utm_campaign=2020&amp;utm_content=2019-12-16-static-property-768x300-v1-enhp-sitevisitors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/768x300-EN.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-1862\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/768x300-EN.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/768x300-EN-300x117.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to settle unpaid rent and protect your tenancy&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-19.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50495\" style=\"width:768px\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-19.png 900w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-19-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-19-768x512.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>As a general rule, rent must be paid by the due date.&nbsp;However, if payment is unavoidably delayed, take action as soon as possible using the following&nbsp;measures.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Contact your landlord or property management company<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As soon as you realize that your rent payment will be late, contact your landlord or property management company as quickly as possible. Be sure to clearly explain the reason for the delay and specify the expected payment date. If you already know in advance that your payment may be delayed, it\u2019s best to inform them early.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Even a short delay of two or three days is technically considered a late payment&nbsp;under the law. Since late rent&nbsp;payment&nbsp;can be grounds for terminating the&nbsp;rental contract,&nbsp;while&nbsp;it rarely results in immediate&nbsp;termination, it may damage the relationship of trust between you and the landlord.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Prompt communication&nbsp;and honest responses will help prevent&nbsp;disputes. It&#8217;s best to avoid waiting until you receive a reminder from the landlord or management company.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Pay the overdue rent as soon as possible<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you&#8217;ve contacted your landlord or management company, make&nbsp;every effort&nbsp;to pay your overdue&nbsp;rent&nbsp;as soon as possible.&nbsp;Since payment methods vary depending on the property and the terms of your contract, be sure to&nbsp;check&nbsp;before&nbsp;contacting&nbsp;them.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most common payment method is by bank transfer to a bank account&nbsp;specified&nbsp;by the&nbsp;landlord or&nbsp;management company. When&nbsp;making the transfer, be sure to enter the correct bank name, branch name, account number, and&nbsp;account holder\u2019s&nbsp;name.&nbsp;Please note that bank transfer fees are usually borne by the tenant.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Depending on the property, you may be required to&nbsp;make the payment&nbsp;directly&nbsp;at the office. In&nbsp;such&nbsp;cases, be sure to request a receipt or proof of payment as evidence.&nbsp;When visiting in person, expressing your apologies sincerely can help rebuild trust.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Support and consultation services for tenants in financial difficulty&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"900\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-20.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-50491\" style=\"width:768px\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-20.png 900w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-20-300x200.png 300w, https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/image-20-768x512.png 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 900px) 100vw, 900px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong>Housing Security Benefit<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This&nbsp;benefit is&nbsp;provided to individuals who meet certain criteria, such as losing their job,&nbsp;going out of business, or experiencing a significant reduction in income. Under this&nbsp;program, the local government directly pays the rent-equivalent amount&nbsp;predetermined by each municipality&nbsp;to the landlord\u2019s account for a standard period of three months, with a possible extension of up to nine months.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more details on the Housing Security Benefit, please contact your local&nbsp;municipal office.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Source:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/corona-support.mhlw.go.jp\/jukyokakuhokyufukin\/en\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare | Housing Security Benefit<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Japan Legal Support Center&nbsp;(Houterasu)<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Japan Legal Support Center, commonly known as Houterasu,&nbsp;offers&nbsp;legal consultation services for issues related to housing, such as&nbsp;late rent payment,&nbsp;rental contract&nbsp;termination, and eviction.&nbsp;As long as&nbsp;you meet certain income and asset requirements, you can receive legal advice free of charge or at a low cost. Each consultation lasts approximately 30 minutes,&nbsp;and&nbsp;the service&nbsp;can be used up to three times.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Source:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.houterasu.or.jp\/site\/english\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Houterasu |&nbsp;How to Use Free Legal Consultations<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Furthermore, it is also recommended to consult&nbsp;with your local government&#8217;s welfare department,&nbsp;community support desk, or housing consultation center. If you&#8217;re&nbsp;struggling&nbsp;to pay your rent, consult with them as soon as possible.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more info, check out our blog:&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/japanese-apartment-life\/how-to-get-government-rental-assistance\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How To Get Government Rental Assistance<\/a>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Summary&nbsp;<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Below is a summary of how to properly handle late rent payments as well as the specific steps to take if your rent payment continues to be delayed.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Rent is&nbsp;generally paid&nbsp;in advance&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If your rent payment is late, contact your landlord or management company as soon as possible&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Be honest about the reason for the delay and clearly&nbsp;state&nbsp;your expected payment date&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Document&nbsp;every detail of your discussions with your landlord or management company in writing&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Ignoring overdue rent can lead to a sequence of these procedures: demand for payment \u2192 contract termination \u2192 eviction notice \u2192 compulsory eviction&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>After the guarantor company&nbsp;temporarily covers&nbsp;the overdue&nbsp;rent and&nbsp;makes payment to&nbsp;the landlord, the tenant will receive a bill&nbsp;for repayment&nbsp;(subrogation&nbsp;payment)&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Prolonged&nbsp;late payments&nbsp;may result in&nbsp;late payment&nbsp;fees and could potentially affect your credit record&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>If paying rent becomes difficult, seek&nbsp;assistance&nbsp;from public&nbsp;support&nbsp;programs or consultation centers as soon as possible&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Certain support programs&nbsp;like&nbsp;the &#8220;Housing Security Benefit&#8221; may be available&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It is illegal for a landlord to take unilateral actions&nbsp;on their own,&nbsp;such as changing locks or disposing of&nbsp;the tenants\u2019&nbsp;belongings&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>At&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.villagehouse.jp\/en\/?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;utm_campaign=2022&amp;utm_content=2025-11-28-native-link-1x1-lateonrent-enhp-readers\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Village House<\/a>,&nbsp;there are&nbsp;no security deposits, key money, or agency fees*.&nbsp;Moreover,&nbsp;the&nbsp;rent is reasonably priced, so if you&#8217;re looking to save on housing and initial&nbsp;move-in&nbsp;costs, please feel free to contact us!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>*Depending on the contract details and screening results, a security deposit may be&nbsp;required.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Related articles<\/strong>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/japanese-apartment-life\/what-bills-do-you-need-to-pay-whilst-renting-in-japan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">What Bills Do You Need to Pay Whilst Renting in Japan?<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/japanese-apartment-life\/how-to-save-money-kakeibo\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">How to Save Money? Kakeibo!<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/moving-tips\/can-you-move-while-on-public-assistance-debunking-the-myths\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Can You Move While on Public Assistance? Debunking the Myths!<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/japanese-apartment-life\/average-gas-utility-bills-for-a-person-living-alone-tips-on-how-to-save\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Average Gas Utility Bills for a Person Living Alone: Tips on How to Save!<\/a>&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"sabox-plus-item\"><div class=\"saboxplugin-wrap\" itemtype=\"http:\/\/schema.org\/Person\" itemscope itemprop=\"author\"><div class=\"saboxplugin-tab\"><div class=\"saboxplugin-gravatar\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/04\/Machiko_ProfilePhoto.jpeg\" width=\"100\" height=\"100\" alt=\"\" itemprop=\"image\" title=\"\"><\/div><div class=\"saboxplugin-authorname\"><a href=\"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/author\/writer-1-en\/\" class=\"vcard author\" rel=\"author\"><span class=\"fn\">Machiko Doi<\/span><\/a><\/div><div class=\"saboxplugin-desc\"><div itemprop=\"description\"><p class=\"p1\">Hello, I&#8217;m Machiko Doi, a freelance writer who writes about housing and living in Japan.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">I live in an 80-year-old house that I inherited from my grandparents along with my two shelter cats and daughter.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">We live a relaxed life while repairing the house.<\/p>\n<p class=\"p1\">I like to cook vegetables from the garden and fresh fish caught by my father, and enjoy them with cold beer on a hot day or hot sake on a cold day.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><div class=\"clearfix\"><\/div><div class=\"saboxplugin-socials \"><a title=\"Twitter\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/machico_neco\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" class=\"saboxplugin-icon-grey\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"sab-twitter\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 30 30\"><path d=\"M26.37,26l-8.795-12.822l0.015,0.012L25.52,4h-2.65l-6.46,7.48L11.28,4H4.33l8.211,11.971L12.54,15.97L3.88,26h2.65 l7.182-8.322L19.42,26H26.37z M10.23,6l12.34,18h-2.1L8.12,6H10.23z\" \/><\/svg><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Some people may have fallen behind on their rent payment for reasons such as &#8220;I&nbsp;forgot to&nbsp;check my bank balance and the rent&nbsp;payment didn\u2019t go through&#8221; or &#8220;I accidentally forgot the payment&nbsp;due&nbsp;date.&#8221;&nbsp; A delay of just a few days usually&nbsp;isn\u2019t&nbsp;a major issue. However, if&nbsp;late payments&nbsp;continue, you may receive reminder notices, face contract termination, or in the [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":26,"featured_media":50547,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-50446","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-japanese-apartment-life"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50446","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/26"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=50446"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/50446\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/50547"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=50446"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=50446"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.villagehouse.jp\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=50446"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}