Holes in the wall at move-out: pinholes vs. screw holes
How Japan's restoration guideline treats wall holes at move-out — small pinholes are usually the landlord's burden, while screw or nail holes that damage the backing board fall on the tenant.
更新: 2026-06-13
At move-out in Japan, tenants are sometimes charged from their deposit for wallpaper ("cloth") replacement because of holes in the wall. But not every hole is treated the same. Based on the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT) restoration guideline, the answer depends on what kind of hole it is.
Pinholes vs. screw holes
Small holes from thumbtacks or pins — used to hang posters or calendars — are considered ordinary wear and tear, as long as the backing board does not need repair. These are normally the landlord's burden, so no charge should apply. Nail or screw holes that damage the backing board and require replacement, however, are the tenant's burden.
When the tenant does pay
Even when the hole is the tenant's responsibility, wallpaper has a useful life of 6 years, and the tenant's share is calculated as (6 − years occupied) ÷ 6. After 6 years or more it is effectively 0%. Watch for charges that bill a full-room replacement over a single pinhole, or ignore years of tenancy.
Use the checker below to estimate the burden split for your case.