"UR Rental Housing" is public rental housing managed by the Urban Renaissance Agency (UR). No brokerage fee, key money, renewal fee, or guarantor required is a major feature, and by correctly understanding how it differs from ordinary rentals, you can move through the tenant screening process more smoothly.
What kind of properties are UR Rental Housing?
UR Rental Housing refers to rental housing managed and operated by the Urban Renaissance Agency. Its main features that differ from ordinary rentals are as follows.
- No brokerage fee: UR service centers and shops handle applications directly
- No key money or renewal fee: The initial cost is only the security deposit and prorated rent
- No guarantor required: Procedures can be completed with identity verification only
- Automatic annual renewal: No cumbersome renewal procedures
- Many buildings are reinforced concrete, with strong earthquake and fire resistance
- Renovated units are also available, including MUJI x UR housing complex renovation properties
Most properties are available on a first-come, first-served basis, and if a unit is vacant, you can view and apply immediately. There is no upper income limit, and floor plans range from 1K units to family-sized layouts.
Is UR rental screening really strict?
Rather than saying UR rental screening is "strict screening," "the eligibility requirements are clear" is the more accurate description. If you meet the qualification criteria, you can apply, and the screening itself is simpler than with ordinary rentals.
UR Rental application eligibility (5 conditions)
- Nationality requirement: Japanese nationality, or foreign nationality with permanent resident, diplomatic, official, special permanent resident, or mid- to long-term resident status (ability to understand the contract in Japanese is required)
- Income standard: You must meet the standard monthly income amount set for the rent (example: for a single tenant and rent of 50,000 yen, the standard monthly income is 200,000 yen or more)
- Co-occupancy requirement: You must live with a spouse (including a common-law spouse and a fiancé(e) who will marry within six months), a blood relative within the sixth degree, or an in-law within the third degree (living with friends is not allowed)
- Orderly communal living: You must move in within one month of the move-in date and not cause trouble for other residents
- No ties to antisocial forces: The applicant and cohabiting family members must have no involvement with antisocial forces
Where Eligibility Gets Tricky: Students, Pensioners, the Self-Employed, and Foreign Nationals
Most applicants who aren't sure they qualify fall into one of two groups: people whose income doesn't come from a straightforward salary, and people whose case touches nationality or residence status. The table below follows UR's own published rules for each situation.
| Situation that raises questions | What UR's official rules say |
|---|---|
| Your income is at least half the standard monthly income threshold, but not quite enough on its own | If your own monthly income is at least half (1/2) of the standard monthly income threshold, you can combine it with the income of a relative who lives with you |
| Your own income is under half the threshold | You may still qualify if a relative who does not live with you agrees to supplement your rent |
| You are a student aged 18 or older | Students are treated the same as elderly applicants, applicants with disabilities, and single-parent households: you may qualify even when your own income is under half the threshold |
| You receive a pension | Pension income and other miscellaneous income count toward your average monthly income, as long as it is expected to continue |
| You are self-employed or a freelancer | Business income and real-estate income also count toward your average monthly income |
| You are a foreign national | Permanent residents, diplomats, government officials, special permanent residents, and mid- to long-term residents are all eligible |
| You are engaged but not yet legally married | A "spouse" includes a partner in a de facto marriage-like relationship and a fiancé(e) who will marry within six months |
Source: UR都市機構, "Application Eligibility"
The residence-status point is worth spelling out, because it is broader than many applicants assume. Beyond permanent residents, diplomats, and government officials, UR also accepts special permanent residents (a status held mostly by long-settled Korean and Chinese residents of Japan under a postwar special law) and mid- to long-term residents — the category covering most people living in Japan on a work visa, a student visa, or a spouse visa, who carry a residence card (在留カード). If you hold a residence card, you are very likely eligible on this point.
It is also worth underlining that the "average monthly income" used for screening is not limited to salary. UR counts salary, business income, real-estate income, and miscellaneous income such as pensions, as long as the income is expected to continue — calculated, in principle, as the past year's total divided by 12. If you have income beyond a regular paycheck, add it in before assuming you fall short of the threshold.
In what cases do applicants fail screening?
The most common reason for failing UR rental screening is not meeting the income standard. For a single tenant, if the rent is 50,000 yen, a monthly income of at least 200,000 yen is required, and if you fall below that even for one month, you cannot apply.
If your income does not reach the standard, the lump-sum advance payment system (paying a fixed amount upfront) and the savings-based standard system may be available. Check the conditions on the official UR website.
Related reading
- Which is better value, a detached rental house or owning a home? A comparison of advantages and disadvantages
- What are the rent reduction guidelines? The impact of the 2020 Civil Code revision and how landlords should respond
- Restoration costs when installing a security system in rental housing: burden rules landlords should know
Quick Table of the Standard Monthly Income Threshold｜How Much Income You Need for a Given Rent
You cannot judge “how strict it is” by feel. UR rental housing of UR都市機構 (Urban Renaissance Agency) publishes numerical criteria, so you can check on the spot whether you qualify.
The figure used for screening is 平均月収額 (average monthly income). It means the past year’s gross income (including bonuses, before tax) divided by 12. Note that this is pre-tax gross pay, not take-home pay.
| Application category | Rent | Required average monthly income (基準月収額, standard monthly income threshold) |
|---|---|---|
| Household application | Under 82,500 JPY (approx. 550 USD) | 4× rent |
| 82,500 JPY or more and under 200,000 JPY (approx. 1,333 USD) | 330,000 JPY (approx. 2,200 USD) | |
| 200,000 JPY or more | 400,000 JPY (approx. 2,667 USD) | |
| Single-person application | Under 62,500 JPY (approx. 417 USD) | 4× rent |
| 62,500 JPY or more and under 200,000 JPY | 250,000 JPY (approx. 1,667 USD) | |
| 200,000 JPY or more | 400,000 JPY (approx. 2,667 USD) |
Source: UR都市機構「お申込み資格」(Application Eligibility)
There is a range where raising the rent does not change the income you need
When you map this table onto real amounts, a property that is easy to miss becomes visible. Once rent exceeds a certain level, the 基準月収額 switches to a fixed amount, so raising the rent does not change the income required.
| Rent for a single applicant | Required average monthly income | Rough annual-income equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| 50,000 JPY (approx. 333 USD) | 200,000 JPY (4× rent; approx. 1,333 USD) | approx. 2.4 million JPY (approx. 16,000 USD) |
| 60,000 JPY (approx. 400 USD) | 240,000 JPY (4× rent; approx. 1,600 USD) | approx. 2.88 million JPY (approx. 19,200 USD) |
| 62,500 JPY (approx. 417 USD) | 250,000 JPY (approx. 1,667 USD) | approx. 3 million JPY (approx. 20,000 USD) |
| 100,000 JPY (approx. 667 USD) | 250,000 JPY | approx. 3 million JPY |
| 190,000 JPY (approx. 1,267 USD) | 250,000 JPY | approx. 3 million JPY |
For a single applicant, a 62,500 JPY unit and a 190,000 JPY unit both require the same 250,000 JPY monthly income. For a household application, everything from 82,500 JPY to under 200,000 JPY is a flat 330,000 JPY.
When income just misses the threshold, people tend to think “I should look for a cheaper unit.” If you are already in the fixed-amount range, lowering the rent will not lower the required monthly income. Instead, aiming just above the switchover to the fixed amount lets you choose a larger unit on the same monthly income.
Converting to Annual Income: Household vs. Single Applicants
The threshold is published as a monthly figure, but if you're used to reading a tax withholding statement (源泉徴収票) or a year-end pay summary, an annual figure is easier to check against. Below is that same standard monthly income threshold multiplied by 12.
| Rent | Household application (required average monthly income / annual equivalent) | Single application (required average monthly income / annual equivalent) |
|---|---|---|
| 50,000 JPY | 200,000 JPY / approx. 2.4 million JPY | 200,000 JPY / approx. 2.4 million JPY |
| 60,000 JPY | 240,000 JPY / approx. 2.88 million JPY | 240,000 JPY / approx. 2.88 million JPY |
| 70,000 JPY | 280,000 JPY / approx. 3.36 million JPY | 250,000 JPY / approx. 3 million JPY |
| 82,500 JPY | 330,000 JPY / approx. 3.96 million JPY | 250,000 JPY / approx. 3 million JPY |
| 120,000 JPY | 330,000 JPY / approx. 3.96 million JPY | 250,000 JPY / approx. 3 million JPY |
| 199,000 JPY | 330,000 JPY / approx. 3.96 million JPY | 250,000 JPY / approx. 3 million JPY |
| 200,000 JPY | 400,000 JPY / approx. 4.8 million JPY | 400,000 JPY / approx. 4.8 million JPY |
The standard-monthly-income figures follow UR's own published brackets (UR都市機構, "Application Eligibility"); the annual-income column is simply that figure multiplied by 12.
What stands out here is that a single applicant renting anywhere from 70,000 JPY to 199,000 JPY needs exactly the same monthly income: 250,000 JPY. In annual terms, roughly 3 million JPY is the line that matters. For a household application, the threshold steps up to 330,000 JPY at 82,500 JPY rent and then stays flat at 330,000 JPY all the way up to just under 200,000 JPY rent.
There is a second jump at 200,000 JPY rent, where both household and single applicants need 400,000 JPY (roughly 4.8 million JPY a year). For a single applicant, crossing from 199,000 JPY rent to 200,000 JPY rent adds about 1.8 million JPY to the required annual income. It's worth checking which side of that line a unit falls on before you commit to viewing it.
Remember that screening uses gross income before tax, divided by 12 — not take-home pay. Applicants who calculate using their take-home pay sometimes conclude they fall short when they actually meet the standard.
How This Differs from Private-Rental Screening｜The Substance of “Strict” Is Different
UR rentals are called “strict” and also “easy to pass” because they look at different things from private rentals. The same word “screening” covers different content.
| What screening looks at | UR rental housing | Private rental (typically using a 保証会社, rent-guarantee company) |
|---|---|---|
| Income | A published numerical 基準月収額 | A rule-of-thumb income-to-rent ratio; the threshold is often unpublished |
| Credit information | Because no 保証会社 is used, screening is not premised on a credit-bureau inquiry | The 保証会社 may inquire into credit information |
| 連帯保証人 (joint guarantor) | Not required | May be required |
| Use of a 保証会社 | Not required (no guarantee fee either) | Often a condition of the contract |
| 礼金 (key money), 仲介手数料 (brokerage fee), 更新料 (renewal fee) | None | Required depending on the property |
Sources: UR都市機構「お申込み資格」(Application Eligibility), UR都市機構「賃貸の入居審査の主な基準と必要書類とは」(Main criteria and required documents for rental occupancy screening)
Put simply, it comes down to this.
- On income, UR rentals have clearer criteria, and the bar is not low. Screening uses pre-tax gross pay, so it diverges from a take-home-pay intuition.
- On the other hand, there is no mechanism for failing because of past payment history. For someone who has failed 保証会社 screening in the private market, UR rentals can be the more realistic option.
In other words, whether you feel it is “strict” reverses depending on whether you trip on the income threshold or on credit information. First identify which type you are. People with stable income and a past arrears history are a better fit for UR; people whose income does not meet the threshold may find more openings in the private market.
From Application to Contract: The Timeline and Deadlines｜How Long Does Screening Actually Take?
Many applicants ask how many days the screening takes. In practice, with UR rentals it's your own deadlines, not a review period, that drive the schedule. UR's published process runs as follows.
| Step | What happens | Deadline |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Search for a unit | Search on the website or at a shop | — |
| 2. Check eligibility | Confirm you meet the standard monthly income and other conditions | — |
| 3. Apply (provisional application) | Complete the application procedure at a shop | — |
| 4. Viewing | View the unit (in principle, once) | Within one week of the day after applying |
| 5. Submit documents (formal application) | Submit the tenancy application form, residence certificate, and proof-of-income documents | Within one week of the day after the provisional application |
| 6. Sign the contract | Pay the security deposit and prorated rent and service charge | Within 10 days of the day after the provisional application |
| 7. Move in | From the earliest available move-in date | Roughly 10 days after signing |
Source: UR都市機構, "How to Rent from UR"
In short, you have only 10 days between the provisional application and signing the contract. The viewing, plus getting hold of your residence certificate and proof-of-income documents, all have to happen inside that window. Unlike a private rental, where you apply and then wait for a screening result, UR's design runs the other way: you secure the unit first, then race the clock to assemble the documents that prove you qualify.
Some of what gets described as "failing screening" is really a case of documents not coming together in time. This is especially true for applicants who don't have last year's tax withholding statement on hand, or who need to visit a municipal office for a certificate of taxation. Checking where these documents are before you submit the provisional application can keep you from running out the 10-day clock.
Documents Required for Screening｜What You Need, by Income Type
You submit a tenancy application form (on UR's own template), a copy of your residence certificate, and documents proving your income. Which income documents you need depends on how you earn.
| Category | What to submit |
|---|---|
| Everyone | A residence certificate for the applicant and every cohabiting relative (showing the relationship, issued within the past 3 months, with the Japanese My Number redacted) |
| Salaried employees | Last year's tax withholding statement (an original — either company-stamped or issued electronically), plus this year's certificate of taxation or resident-tax assessment notice |
| Employed less than a year | UR's own income certificate form, plus a copy of your employee ID |
| Self-employed | The original of last year's tax payment certificate (その2) |
| Pension recipients | The original and a copy of your public pension certificate or the latest pension payment notice |
| Using the lump-sum advance-payment system | No proof-of-income documents are required |
Source: UR都市機構, "Required Documents"
From a property-management standpoint, this is where UR diverges most from the private market. Private landlords often accept a photocopy or even a smartphone photo of your proof of income; UR insists on originals — the original tax withholding statement, the original tax payment certificate. That is exactly why gathering the paperwork takes time if you don't already have it on hand.
If you changed jobs less than a year ago, you may worry your income looks too low to qualify. It helps to know that a specific form exists for exactly this situation: even if last year's tax withholding statement is from a previous employer, UR will accept the designated income certificate form together with a copy of your current employee ID.
Alternatives When You Do Not Meet the Income Threshold
Even if you do not meet the 基準月収額, a path to apply remains. UR rental housing has systems that can substitute for the income requirement.
| System | Amount required | For 60,000 JPY rent | For 100,000 JPY rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 貯蓄基準制度 (savings-based qualification) | Savings of 100× monthly rent | 6 million JPY (approx. 40,000 USD) | 10 million JPY (approx. 66,667 USD) |
| 家賃等の一時払い制度 (lump-sum advance payment of rent, etc.) | Pay rent and related charges in a lump sum for a set period | 1 to 10 years, in 1-year increments, starting the month after your earliest possible move-in month | |
Source: UR都市機構「お申込み資格」(Application Eligibility)
Under the 貯蓄基準制度, if the applicant’s own savings are at least 100 times monthly rent, that can substitute for the income requirement. It is a realistic option when you have retired and income has fallen but you still have deposits, or when you are self-employed with large year-to-year swings in income.
What to grasp here is that these two systems are not “exceptional relief” but official, regular routes that UR has put in place. Many people give up after looking only at the income-threshold numbers, but once you know there is more than one gateway, the range of properties you can choose changes.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are UR rentals allocated by lottery?
Most properties are not allocated by lottery but on a first-come, first-served basis. If there is a vacancy, you can view and apply at any time.
How much are the initial costs for a UR rental?
Because there is no key money or brokerage fee, the main initial costs are the security deposit (about two to three months of rent) and prorated rent for the move-in month.
Can foreign nationals apply for UR rentals?
Yes. UR accepts applicants with Japanese nationality as well as foreign nationals holding permanent resident, diplomatic, official, special permanent resident, or mid- to long-term resident status, provided they can understand the contract in Japanese.
What should I do if I do not meet the 200,000-yen monthly income standard?
You may be able to use the lump-sum advance-payment system or the savings-based standard system (using savings as a substitute). The lump-sum system lets you prepay rent and related charges for a period of one to ten years, in one-year increments, starting the month after your earliest possible move-in month — and no proof-of-income documents are required if you use it.
Is there a fee at renewal?
UR rentals do not require a renewal fee and renew automatically every year. No procedures are required.
How much monthly income do I need to pass UR rental screening?
For a household application: under 82,500 JPY rent, 4× rent; 82,500 JPY or more and under 200,000 JPY, 330,000 JPY (approx. 2,200 USD); 200,000 JPY or more, 400,000 JPY (approx. 2,667 USD). For a single-person application: under 62,500 JPY, 4× rent; 62,500 JPY or more and under 200,000 JPY, 250,000 JPY (approx. 1,667 USD); 200,000 JPY or more, 400,000 JPY. The figure used is 平均月収額, past-year income divided by 12 — pre-tax gross pay, not take-home pay.
Does UR rental screening look at credit information?
UR rental housing requires neither a 連帯保証人 (joint guarantor) nor a 保証会社 (rent-guarantee company), so screening is not premised on a credit-bureau inquiry by a guarantee company. The core test is whether you meet the published 基準月収額. Even if you have failed 保証会社 screening in the private market, you can apply if you meet the income threshold.
