For anyone facing a temporary living arrangement — a work relocation away from home, or a short stint as a student, for example — furnishing an entire apartment with appliances from scratch is a heavy burden in both cost and hassle. In situations like these, a furnished-appliance rental apartment becomes a genuinely useful option. This guide sorts through the benefits, the drawbacks, and the kind of renter it suits best.
What Exactly Is a Furnished-Appliance Rental Apartment?
A furnished-appliance rental apartment is a rental unit that already comes equipped with everyday appliances — a refrigerator, washing machine, microwave, rice cooker, air conditioner, lighting fixtures, and so on — before you move in. These units are most often studios, and they're designed with short-term renters and single occupants in mind. Rent for this type of unit tends to run about 20 to 30 percent higher than an otherwise comparable unit without appliances included.
What Appliances Are Typically Included?
The standard set usually includes an air conditioner, stovetop, lighting, refrigerator, washing machine, microwave, rice cooker, vacuum cleaner, and television. The exact lineup varies from property to property, so you should always confirm the details before signing a lease.
What Are the Benefits of Living in a Furnished-Appliance Rental Apartment?
- You save on initial costs: There's no need to spend the equivalent of several hundred thousand yen buying appliances from scratch.
- Moving is far less of a burden: You don't need to transport large appliances, which keeps your moving company's fee lower.
- You can live comfortably from day one: This makes the option well suited even to a sudden, unplanned job transfer.
- You don't have to dispose of appliances when you move out: There's no need to handle the paperwork or pay the fees involved in disposing of a refrigerator, washing machine, and the like.
- The shorter your stay, the better the value: For a stay of just a few months, this option is more economical than buying your own appliances outright.
What Are the Drawbacks of Living in a Furnished-Appliance Rental Apartment?
- Rent runs higher: If you end up staying long-term, you may end up paying more overall than you would have in a unit without appliances included.
- The appliances are secondhand: This may not suit renters who are particular about hygiene or the general feel of using a used appliance.
- You don't get to choose the design: This is a drawback if you have preferences about the color or style of your appliances.
- Unwanted appliances take up space: You generally cannot have the built-in appliances removed, even if you'd rather not have them.
- You may be responsible for repair costs: In some cases, tenants are billed for repairs even when the breakdown is simply due to the appliance's age.
- Internet speed can suffer: In buildings that provide shared Wi-Fi across all units, speeds tend to slow down during peak usage hours.
How Do You Go About Finding a Furnished-Appliance Rental Apartment?
There are three main approaches.
- Real estate agencies that specialize in monthly (serviced) apartments: Every listing they carry comes with furniture and appliances included, which makes narrowing down your search straightforward.
- General real estate agencies: Look for one with a solid track record of handling furnished, appliance-equipped units.
- Real estate listing websites: Searching with a "furnished appliances included" filter is an efficient way to narrow results.
Who Is a Furnished-Appliance Rental Apartment Best Suited For?
This option is especially well suited to people who will only be staying for a short period, people who relocate frequently for work, people who aren't particular about appliance design, and people who need to move quickly. Conversely, it's not a great fit for anyone planning a long-term stay, or anyone who cares about the design or performance of their appliances.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q. Which is the better value: a furnished-appliance rental or a standard rental?
- A. The shorter your planned stay — one year or less — the more advantageous the furnished-appliance option becomes. For a longer stay of two years or more, it's often cheaper overall to rent a standard unit and buy your own appliances.
- Q. What happens if one of the included appliances breaks down?
- A. Who's responsible for repair costs varies by property. Before you move in, confirm the policy with the landlord or the management company so you know what to expect if something breaks.
- Q. Can I bring my own appliances into a furnished-appliance unit?
- A. Generally, yes, but since the built-in appliances usually can't be removed, your own appliances will end up competing for space. It's a good idea to check the available space carefully when you view the unit in person.
- Q. Is the lease contract the same as for a standard rental?
- A. In general, yes — it follows the same structure as a standard lease agreement. Whether a security deposit or key money is required depends on the individual property. If it's a monthly-contract unit aimed at short-term renters, different rules from a standard lease will apply.
