UR 関西営業センター梅田 This is the UR Main Office in Umeda
What is UR
UR stands for Urban renaissance. UR is public housing ran by the Japanese government. Most UR complexes are older apartment blocks taken over by the Japanese government and reformed to modern standards.
UR団地 UR Complex
Basic design of many UR complexes in Japan. Older concrete buildings that have been keep up pretty well. On the inside most UR apartments have been update to modern standards.
How old are these complexes?
A majority are 40 to 50 years old. There are some URs built in the early 2000s.
Size of UR complexes
The UR complex ranges from one building, there are a number of one building URs in Kyoto, Osaka, and Nara. There are also many massive complexes with 50 or more buildings.
This is an example of a large UR complex in Osaka Fu in Ibaraki City.
Where is UR available?
UR is available in most large Urban areas on Honshu, Kyushu, and Hokkaido.
Kansai Region UR:
This is the region I am familiar with the most.
Kyoto Fu: Kyoto city has single buildings in which are UR and several UR complexes around the city. UR also has a complex in Kameoka city.
Osaka Fu: Has a large number of UR complexes all over Osaka City and Osaka Fu.
Nara Prefecture: Nara City has several UR complexes, there are also UR complexes available in Kitsugawa City, Kishihara City, Kashiba City, Kawai Machi, and Sakurai City.
Hyogo Prefecture: UR Complexes located in Kobe City, Nishinomiya City, Takarazuka City, Amagasaki City, Akashi City, and other cities around Kobe.
UR is also available in:
Shiga Prefecture: One UR complex in Otsu located in Ishiyama.
Wakayama Prefecture: Three UR Complexes in located Wakayama city.
Other Regions where UR is Available:
I am also very familiar with URs in Aichi and the Nagoya area
Tokai Region:
Aichi Prefecture: also has many UR complexes all Owari region many in Nagoya city, Kasugai City, Toyoake City, Kanie, Yatomi, and others. Also in the Mikawa Region in Chiriyu and Toyota Cities.
Gifu Prefecture
Mie Prefecture
Shizuoka Prefecture
Chuugoku Region
Okayama Prefecture
Hiroshima Prefecture
Yamaguchi Prefecture
Kyushu
Fukuoka Prefecture, only
Tohoku Region
Miyagi Prefecture, only
Hokkaido
Sapporo City, only
Kanto Region
Kanagawa Prefecture
Chiba Prefecture
Saitama Prefecture
Ibaraki Prefecture
Tokyo To
According to the UR Webpage there are 4 Pros to contracting with UR:
礼金なし No Key Money
仲介手数料なし No Real Estate Agency fee
更新料なし No contract Renewal Fee
保証人なし No Guarantor Needed
Real Estate Japanese
礼金 れいきん Rei Kin (Key money but what Reikin really is, is gift money to the landlord required by the land lord).
仲介手数料 ちゅうかいてすうりょう Chuu Kai Te Suu Ryou (Real Estate Agency Fee, which is almost a uniformed fee charged by every Real Estate agency from Sumo, Mini Mini, to the local Real Estate agency in a small town in Hokkaido, to my own agency. This fee is one months rent plus sales tax.
更新料 こうしんりょう Kou Shin Ryou (Contract Renewal Fee) Many properties have them and many do not. Having a contract renewal fee is completely up to the property management company contracted by the land lord and not the real estate agency.
保証人 ほしょうにん Ho Shou Nin (Japanese Guarantor) Some properties require a Ho Shou Nin who is Japanese, to make life more difficult some property management companies require this person to be a family member who is Japanese. The function of a Hoshounin is if you by any chance leave the property with out any notice, this person is suppose will have to be responsible for you. No Japanese person likes to be a Hoshounini.
Easy to Understand Initial Costs of Renting A UR
As an agent I get asked by many clients how much does it cost to move into a UR apartment? Here is the basic calculation for every UR apartment.
3DK 61 Meter UR apartment
(THIS APARTMENT IS JUST AN EXAMPLE AND NOT AVAILABLE)
Rent: 61,0000 Yen
Management Fee: 2,000 Yen
Security Deposit: 2 months Rent
Key Money: 0
UR never charges Key money and always has a management fee. I rounded the numbers to make it easier to understand the initial costs of entering into a UR
apartment.
Calculation:
Lets say you move in on April 1st
Aprils rent 61,000
Management fee 2,000 yen (You pay this every month with our rent)
61,000 + 2,000 = 63,000 (The rent you pay every month) Since you moved in on April 1st you have to pay the rent for the full month of April.
Rent for April 1st to April 30th 63,000
Security deposit (2 months rent) 61,000 + 61,000= 122,000 Yen
122,000 + 63,000 (Aprils rent) = 185,000
If you move in on April 1st you have to pay 185,000 Yen for Initial costs.
If you move in on the 15th of April you only pay for the last 16 days of April because your move was on the 15th.
61,000/30= 2,033.33 yen per day.
2033.33 x 16= 32,533 Yen
Aprils Rent 32,533
Management fee for 16 days 1,066
Security Deposit 2 months Rent 61,000 + 61,000 = 122,000
Key money: 0
Rent for April 15 to April 30th
32,533 + 1066 = 33,599
33,599 + 122,000 = 155,599 Yen
If you move in on April 15th Your initial costs are going to be 155,599 yen
REMAX WINNERS UR Service:
We are a UR registered Agency
When you use REMAX WINNERS UR service we reserve the UR apartment for you. To start the process all we need is a copy of your Zairyu Card. I will reserve your apartment for you.
Viewing
I take you to view the apartment on your selected date.
If You Like the Apartment and Want to Contract
If you like the apartment you have a specific amount of time to do gather all the correct documents from your company and city hall that UR requires for applying.
Before going to the Umeda UR Center:
I will book at date with you to go to the UR center in Umeda
I will calculate the Initial costs.
You need to prepare all the necessary documentation to make the UR application and have the Initial costs payment prepared on the day you go to the UR center in Umeda.
At the Umeda office or Karasuma Oike Office in Kyoto
I will meet you at Osaka Station or if your in Kyoto or Shiga I will meet you at Karasuma Oike Subway station.
Application and contract can be done in a minimal of 45 minutes but it will take more than an hour depending on how smoothly the process goes. Be prepared to spend some time here.
Application and Contract Process
The UR checks if all your documents are correct.
After the documents have been approved by UR.
You make the contract with the UR, choose the move in date.
Pay your Initial Costs to the UR agency
You pay the initial costs to the UR. They will give you a receipt that you need to keep and bring it to the UR service center at the UR complex on your moving day in order to pick up the keys.
Translation
I will translate the whole process from contracting to understanding the rules and regulations of the UR. If there are having any problems with the apartment such has pluming, electricity, if you want to find a parking space for a car, bike, or a motor bike, and how to move in and the process of moving out. When contracting with the UR will provide you with a book translated into English about living at a UR complex, you should keep this book and read it if your having any problems.
Contract
When the application and contract process is complete they will give you the contract copy. You need to keep the contract in a safe place because you need it again when you move out.
Moving in
It is very rare to move in to a UR on the same day you complete your contract. It takes at minimum of 1 week.
What to bring to pick up the key
Bring the receipt showing that you paid your initial costs to the UR office at your UR complex. Once they see the receipt they will give you 3 keys for the apartment.
Life Line Utilities
REMAX WINNERS will handle your utilities. We call the Gas, Electricity, and Water company so you can use all utilities on the day you move in. You do have make an appointment to meet with the Gas company on your move in day. The gas company makes sure your apartments gas is in good working order.
Our UR Service is Free, no agency fee
Our service for finding the apartment, booking your appointments, translation, and all service provided when doing UR contract is free because we are UR's registered agency.
I really hope this post was informative and can help you better understand this apartment option available to you in Japan.
Where ever you are or where ever your from in this beautiful world. Enjoy the beauty of life around you. Thank you for reading and have a great day.