賃貸審査の準備
外国人が日本で賃貸審査を通過するための書類チェックリストと実践的アドバイス。
必要書類リスト
内見前に書類を揃えておくと、審査がスムーズになり大家からの信頼も得やすくなります。
- ✓パスポート — 顔写真・情報ページのコピー
- ✓在留カード — 表裏両面のコピー（有効期限内）
- ✓在職証明書 — 会社発行。役職・給与額が記載されたもの
- ✓収入証明書 — 直近3ヶ月の給与明細、または前年分の課税証明書
- ✓通帳コピー — 直近3ヶ月分（給与振込履歴が確認できるもの）
- ✓住民票 — 区役所で取得。正式な審査に必要
収入基準について
ほとんどの物件では「月収が家賃の3倍以上」が目安です。月8万円の物件なら、月収24万円以上の証明が必要です。
パートタイム・留学生は審査が厳しくなる場合あり
学生・フリーランス・パートタイムの方は、外国人専門の不動産会社やUR住宅の利用を検討してください。
審査が通らなかった場合
1社に落ちても諦めないでください。以下の選択肢で承認率を上げることができます。
別の保証会社に申し込む — 各社で審査基準が異なります。GTNやROOM iDは外国人に特化しています。
敷金を多めに積む提案をする — 保証会社の代わりに敷金2〜3ヶ月を積むことを大家に提案できる場合があります。
外国人専門の不動産会社を使う — 大家が事前に外国人入居を承認している物件にアクセスできます。
シェアハウス・マンスリーマンションで実績を作る — 日本での賃貸履歴を作ってから通常の賃貸へ移行する方法も有効です。
Thoroughly Research Any Property
Enter any address to get a 7-page report on risk, price, and legal status — in English.
Try Free Preview →8 Screening Criteria Japanese Landlords Check
① Income: rent should be ≤ 1/3 of monthly income
The single most important screening factor. The widely used rule of thumb is that monthly rent should not exceed one-third of gross monthly income. For example, a ¥80,000 rent requires roughly ¥240,000 monthly income. Some landlords and guarantor companies calculate using total housing costs — including 管理費 (management fees) — rather than base rent alone. Required documents include employer-issued income certificates, 源泉徴収票 (withholding tax slips), and confirmed申告書 (tax returns) for self-employed applicants.
② Employment tenure: less than 1 year is tricky, especially under 3 months
Tenure under one year is viewed cautiously; applicants still in a probationary period (often the first three months) face the toughest scrutiny. Self-employed applicants typically need two to three years of confirmed tax returns. In terms of approval likelihood, permanent employees rank highest, followed by contract workers, then part-time staff, and finally the self-employed — though consistent income can overcome employment-type disadvantages.
③ Credit history: guarantor companies use LICC/CGO/LGO/CIC databases for past rent arrears
Japanese guarantor companies subscribe to rental-specific credit bureaus — LICC, CGO, LGO, and CIC — that track past rent arrears and forced evictions. These databases are separate from the financial credit bureaus used for loans and credit cards. Records are typically retained for five to ten years. A history of rent arrears in Japan is one of the most common and difficult-to-overcome reasons for rejection.
④ Guarantor / guarantor company: shinpan-kei vs. dokuritsu-kei
The guarantor company market splits into two types. Shinpan-kei (信販系) companies are affiliated with credit card issuers and run hard credit checks — these are difficult for foreigners without Japanese credit history. Dokuritsu-kei (独立系) companies evaluate employment status and income rather than credit history, making them significantly more accessible to foreign applicants. Choosing a broker who works with multiple dokuritsu-kei providers substantially improves options.
⑤ Nationality / visa: some companies are nationals-only; residence card validity over 1 year preferred
A minority of guarantor companies accept Japanese nationals only. Selecting a broker who knows which guarantor companies welcome foreign nationals is critical. Having a residence card with more than one year of remaining validity, and providing a copy with the application, meaningfully improves approval odds. Properties explicitly marked 外国人可 (foreigners welcome) are the safest starting point.
⑥ Occupation: entertainment industry may face rejection (common practice, legally grey)
Workers in the entertainment and nightlife industry (水商売) face widespread informal rejection in the rental market. This practice is legally questionable but widely accepted in industry practice. Entertainers and professional athletes may also be screened out due to perceived income volatility. Freelancers can offset this by providing invoices and bank statements showing consistent income history.
⑦ Age: elderly (65+) may face discrimination due to kodokushi risk (legally grey)
Landlords sometimes decline elderly applicants (65 and older) citing the risk of dying alone (孤独死), which creates cleaning costs and stigma. This is legally grey but practiced in the market. UR public housing (UR都市機構) and municipal housing corporations impose no age restrictions, making them a genuinely open option for older applicants. Younger single adults in their twenties face no age-based screening obstacles.
⑧ Pets / instruments / smoking: doesn't affect screening but limits property options
These factors do not influence the credit screening itself but significantly narrow the pool of eligible properties. Confirm that any property you apply for explicitly permits pets, musical instruments, or smoking before submitting an application. Concealing these from a landlord and violating the rules is grounds for lease termination and damage claims.
5 Strategies to Improve Approval Odds
① Offer extra upfront rent or a higher deposit
Prepaying two to three months of rent signals financial stability and reduces landlord risk. This can be a deciding factor when income just misses the standard threshold.
② Income combination with a co-occupant or partner
If moving in with a partner, family member, or housemate, combined household income can be used to meet the rent-to-income requirement — often clearing hurdles that a single income cannot.
③ Choose a broker with multiple guarantor company relationships
Rejection by one guarantor company does not mean rejection by all. Brokers who work with several dokuritsu-kei guarantor firms can re-submit to an alternative company that is more foreign-applicant friendly.
④ Fill every field on the application — no blank spaces
Blank fields in an application create negative impressions. Complete every section accurately. If the form has a motivation section, write something positive such as "planning long-term tenancy" or "moving for work stability."
⑤ Always view the property before applying
Applicants who visit a property in person before submitting an application are perceived more favorably by landlords than those who apply sight-unseen. An in-person visit signals genuine intent and often improves the landlord's overall impression of the applicant.
Common Rejection Reasons and Solutions
| Rejection reason | Solution |
|---|---|
| Income insufficient (below 3× rent) | Income combination, apply for lower-rent property, offer prepaid rent |
| Short employment tenure | Provide additional income proof and employer confirmation of ongoing employment |
| Past rent arrears on record | Choose a guarantor company not subscribed to LICC/CGO databases |
| Foreign national rejected by guarantor company | Switch to a dokuritsu-kei guarantor company that accepts foreign applicants |
| Self-employed / freelance | Submit three years of tax returns plus bank balance certificates |
| Pets | Apply only to properties explicitly marked ペット可 — confirm before applying |