FG dealings with socially inept landlord

[Neo-Rio]

Everything has been fine since I moved in with my Japanese girlfriend nearly 2 years ago now. We always paid on time and haven't had any problems. We haven't been loud or noisy or disturbed anyone. We both work and are barely home anyway.

We have a contract to pay the rent every month (of course), and the landlady said that they would pay the water bill as a service to us.

Anyway, we got a note just this month asking us to pay the water bill all the way back from October last year! Naturally we were ticked off about this. We haven't overused the water or wasted much. We haven't left any taps running or anything like that. So we're quite surprised.

Personally, the way they did it was pretty mean. Making us pay a bill from 3 months back is not very nice with no prior warning, and backing out on their word to do this as a service for us within the length of our contract just makes them look dishonest. Sure, there is no fine print in any contract about their "service", and I don't know if they can legally get away with doing this. If they can, what's to stop them asking money for the bill all the way back into 2 years ago?

I feel that the value of the landlord's word is pretty much at stake here, and we can't trust them any longer. Maybe had they written an apologetic letter asking for the water bill for THIS month stating their reasons, things might have been better, but thank to their social ineptitude, they've made the situation really bad.

Now, here's where it gets tricky. In the contract, of course we are obligated to pay the rent to them. Naturally we have seperate contracts with NTT, Gas, Electricity etc., but not with the water company.

Since we don't know what to do, and the end of our contract is coming up in April, we have decided to stall for as long as possible until we move out of this place (hopefully before April) using some good ol' Japanese tactics. We told them that we cannot confirm whether we have to pay or not and until we get confirmation, we will not be able to pay. We have pointed the landlady to our real estate agent and let them fight it out until we think up a plan, but even the real estate agent is keeping their distance as well.

The real-estate agent sold us on this place because the landlord offered to take care of the water bill. This is why we're setting the landlord onto them.

What I want to know is, can they ask us to pay and have it legally enforced? I have no intention of being dragged to court over such a matter. I am just ticked off because the whole issue is stressing me out. The landlord is now staging a campaign of phone harassment asking for the money to my girlfriend. This is something I don't want to have to deal with.

Maybe the landlord just wants us out of the place so that they can get a fresh installment of reikin and hike the rent, and this is just a tactic. Either way, we want out.

[Captain Japan]

The real-estate agent sold us on this place because the landlord offered to take care of the water bill. This is why we're setting the landlord onto them.

I can't imagine this has a value that exceeds 40k a year. Three months can't amount to more than 10k. Was that really the reason?

Maybe the landlord just wants us out of the place so that they can get a fresh installment of reikin and hike the rent, and this is just a tactic. Either way, we want out.

Maybe. I'd first ask why there has been a change in policy. And ask why from October. Then take it from there.

I have a feeling though that even if it were in your contract initially that doesn't mean this wouldn't have happened anyway.

[FG Lurker]

Definitely odd, especially if they paid it for so long.

If you refuse to pay it you will not get any of your deposit back. I doubt the cost of the water will exceed the amount of your deposit.

I'd try to talk to the landlord *with* the real estate agent/company present and find out what the deal is. Even in Japan shit like this isn't usually random, there is probably some reason for it. The reason might be fucked, but it'll be there hiding under the surface.

[FG Lurker]

What happened in the end?