Move-out wear and tear: what you should NOT have to pay for
Furniture dents, sun-faded walls, and electrical blackening behind appliances are normal wear and the landlord's burden under Japan's restoration guideline — tenants generally don't pay.
更新: 2026-06-13
When you move out in Japan, the settlement statement sometimes lists charges for things like dents in the floor where furniture stood, sun-faded wallpaper, or blackened spots behind the TV. The good news: under the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) restoration guideline, these are usually not the tenant's responsibility.
The guideline separates two kinds of damage. Ordinary wear and tear — things that happen no matter how carefully you live, like fading from sunlight, furniture dents, electrical blackening behind a fridge or TV, and small pin holes that don't require backing repair — is the landlord's burden. It's treated as already covered by the rent. Damage caused by negligence or misuse, such as pet scratches or mold from ignored condensation, is the tenant's burden.
So if your statement charges you for normal wear items, or applies a full replacement cost without accounting for depreciation, it's worth a second look. Carpet and wallpaper also have a useful life of 6 years, after which their value is effectively zero. Use the checker below to estimate whether your case leans toward the landlord's or the tenant's burden.