moving soon - any advice?

[plasticparadox]

i'm moving to a new apartment within the same city. any advice from anyone who's done it before?

what should i be prepared for? i'll probably have to pay key money, and i'm bringing my washing machine over (strapping it to the roof of my friend's daihatsu mira ), but i'll have to buy a new fridge and stove.

what else do i need to pay for? is the concept of a security deposit popular here?

[Taro Toporific]

i'm moving to a new apartment within the same city. any advice from anyone who's done it before?..
what else do i need to pay for? is the concept of a security deposit popular here?

Security deposit is fairly standard everywhere, even in the wilds of Shikoku where you live. The dread "Key Money" and/or "Thanks money" are becoming negotiable with rental agents if the vacancy rate is high in the area you're renting. (For example, my office in Kannai Yokohama paid no Security deposit, "Key Money" or "Thanks money" since 5 of 7 floors the new building were vacant.) IF you are renting directly from the landlord, do NOT pay any Thanks/Key Money since those are only agent fees.

Other "hidden" moving expenses: aircon reconnection charge (15-25,000yen), curtains (10,000yen bare min), light fixures (20-50,000yen), clothes poles, sat/cable TV decoder and stuff (up to 30,000yen), NTT phone reconnection charge (?5,000yen?), broadband wiring/router changes, and oh, remember that change-of-address of your alien registeration.

Since you're getting a frig and gas table, be sure to buy NEW ones and do not "shop" for sodai-gomi used stuff. A new frig will pay for itself in energy savings in a year or less compared with a used one from more than 5 years ago. The aircon and frig tech has got a hell of a lot better in the past 5 years and the normal gaijin sodai-gomi shopping is foolish nowadays.

[ramchop]

Since you're getting a frig and gas table, be sure to buy NEW ones and do not "shop" for sodai-gomi used stuff. A new frig will pay for itself in energy savings in a year or less compared with a used one from more than 5 years ago. The aircon and frig tech has got a hell of a lot better in the past 5 years and the normal gaijin sodai-gomi shopping is foolish nowadays.

That's interesting. The little wheel on the power meter zips around quite fast when the fridge is plugged in at my house. I wonder how old it is. What's a reasonable electricity bill in Japan?

I am more concerned with my water bill. I'm sure the numbers on it must be wrong. Just how many cubic meters of water per month is normal? Considering water is free where I come from 3,500 yen+ per month seems a bit excessive.

[Taro Toporific]

Since you're getting a frig and gas table, be sure to buy NEW ones and do not "shop" for sodai-gomi used stuff. A new frig will pay for itself in energy savings in a year or less compared with a used one from more than 5 years ago. The aircon and frig tech has got a hell of a lot better in the past 5 years and the normal gaijin sodai-gomi shopping is foolish nowadays.

That's interesting. The little wheel on the power meter zips around quite fast when the fridge is plugged in at my house. I wonder how old it is. What's a reasonable electricity bill in Japan?

Up to three years ago I was using a free sodai-gomi frig and air-con and my electric bill averaged 6-9,000yen and I really sweated like crazy and skimped on cooling. THEN, I purchased state of the art, scroll-compressor, frig and aircon and my bill is NEVER higher than 5,500yen and often less 5,000yen even though I run the air-con 9 months a year full-blast in my 4 LDK.

[ramchop]

Up to three years ago I was using a free sodai-gomi frig and air-con and my electric bill averaged 6-9,000yen and I really sweated like crazy and skimped on cooling. THEN, I purchased state of the art, scroll-compressor, frig and aircon and my bill is NEVER higher than 5,500yen and often less 5,000yen even though I run the air-con 9 months a year full-blast in my 4 LDK.

And how much did this state of the art device cost (one of the beasts cools the whole house?)? Is there the hidden air con reconnection fee when you upgrade?

[Taro Toporific]

I am more concerned with my water bill. I'm sure the numbers on it must be wrong. Just how many cubic meters of water per month is normal? Considering water is free where I come from 3,500 yen+ per month seems a bit excessive.

OUCH!
In Yokohama I pay 3,500 yen+ per QUARTER, but then again I'm "special." Tonight at home, I'll check to see what my useage is in terms of cubic meters of water per month is before I get my special cho-henna gaijin discount.

[GomiGirl]

I pay about Y3,500 every two months in Tokyo..

[ramchop]

I pay about Y3,500 every two months in Tokyo..

On reflection, I think it is probably a two monthly thing. Still a lot more than I'm used to paying.

[plasticparadox]

Security deposit is fairly standard everywhere...

thanks for the great post. very helpful!

[Big Booger]

last month my electric bill was 1 man 2 sen yen. I run two networked servers full time, never shut off. Aircon is brand new, runs 50% of the day, from 7 at night to about 12-1am, all day on weekends.. Fridge is ancient.. I might have to investigate an upgrade. BUt it is tiny.. I mean very tiny.

[ramchop]

last month my electric bill was 1 man 2 sen yen.

Fuck! I'll stop complaining about my water bill now.

[Taro Toporific]

I am more concerned with my water bill. I'm sure the numbers on it must be wrong. Just how many cubic meters of water per month is normal? Considering water is free where I come from 3,500 yen+ per month seems a bit excessive.

My very average Yokohama Waterworks bill for Feb 17 to March 17:

23 cubic meters for 1,133 yen ... or 49 yen per cubic meter

Or for the meteric challenged like me: 6,120 gal. for $9.44 {1 cubic meter of water = 266.98 gal and 120 yen to $1 USD}

BTW: I brought my water bill to the FG Party for you to see, but we all missed ya.

---Taro, the Mer-man and my friends
__ or in the pool or atbeach.

[ramchop]

My last bill came in at 4400 yen, over about a 2 month period.

As for the party, my appearance was sabotaged by the FG 2 yr old. I did however make it to a 5 yr old's birthday party at McDonald's the following day (boy have I got my priorities wrong!). I imagine my headache on Sunday rivalled those of the heaviest drinkers.

[Big Booger]

i'll have to check my next water bill, but the last I remembered paying was like 4000 yen for two months..

The funny thing is I don't pay the water company, I pay the landlord.. as it is on some kind of shared system.. and I don't even know how they come up with those numbers..

:P