Three years ago I turned down every pet inquiry on my units. Then I ran the numbers on one stubborn 1LDK that had sat empty for 74 days, switched it to “pet negotiable,” and had a signed tenant within 11 days at the same rent. That single change added roughly 63,000 yen a month in recovered vacancy cost across my portfolio once I rolled it out to three more units. A pet policy isn’t just a yes-or-no checkbox u2014 it’s a document that protects your floors, your walls, and your relationship with the tenant next door.
I now allow pets in 6 of my 9 properties, and every one of them runs on a written policy I hand over at lease signing, not a verbal understanding. Here’s how I built mine after two rounds of trial and error, including one repair bill I’d rather not repeat.
Start With What Your Building Structure Can Actually Handle
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Before you decide yes or no, look at the building itself. Wood-frame (mokuzo) buildings transmit noise and scratching sound far more than reinforced concrete (RC) structures u2014 I learned this the hard way when a downstairs tenant in one of my older wood-frame buildings complained about a cat running across the floor at 6am. In my two RC buildings, noise complaints related to pets have been essentially zero over 8 years. If your building is wood-frame or has thin flooring, I’d cap it at small dogs under 5kg and indoor cats only, and say so explicitly in the policy.
- RC or steel-frame buildings: small-to-medium dogs and cats generally fine
- Wood-frame buildings: cats and dogs under 5kg only, with flooring protection required
- Ground-floor units: better suited to dogs that need frequent walks
- Units above the 2nd floor without elevator: I exclude large dogs entirely u2014 the stairs are hard on both the animal and the tenant
Set a Clear Deposit and Restoration Structure
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Japanese leases already use shikikin (security deposit) and sometimes reikin (key money), but I add a separate pet deposit on top u2014 typically one additional month’s rent, held specifically against restoration costs like scratched flooring or odor treatment. On a 78,000 yen/month unit, that’s an extra 78,000 yen tenants pay at move-in, refundable in part depending on condition at move-out. I spell out in the policy that standard cleaning is covered by the pet deposit, but replacing damaged flooring (I quote 4,200 yen per square meter for laminate replacement, based on what my contractor charges me) comes out of it before any refund. Being specific about the yen figures upfront stops arguments at move-out.
Require Proof of Vaccination and Registration
Under Japanese law, dogs must be registered with the local municipality and receive a rabies vaccination annually u2014 this isn’t optional, and I make it a lease condition, not just a suggestion. I ask new tenants to show me the kansatsu hyo (inspection tag) and the current year’s vaccination certificate before I hand over keys. For cats, I request proof of the standard 3-in-1 vaccine, renewed annually. This isn’t bureaucratic box-checking u2014 it protects the other 8 tenants in a shared building from a genuine health risk, and it’s the single easiest thing to verify in five minutes at signing.
Limit Size, Number, and Species in Writing
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Vague pet policies cause more disputes than strict ones. My written policy states, unit by unit: maximum 2 pets, combined weight under 10kg, no exotic or venomous species, and dogs classified as “specified” breeds under local ordinances excluded. I once had a tenant ask to add a second cat six months into a one-cat lease u2014 because the cap was written into the contract with a specific number, not “pets” in general, I could point to the clause and require a lease amendment (with an additional 5,000 yen/month pet rent) rather than negotiating from scratch.
Add Monthly Pet Rent, Not Just a Deposit
Beyond the one-time deposit, I charge 3,000 to 5,000 yen per month in additional rent for pet-holding tenants, depending on the unit and pet size. Across my 6 pet-friendly units this adds up to about 22,000 yen a month in extra income, which more than covers the incremental wear on flooring and walls over a typical 3-year tenancy. Tenants rarely push back on this if you frame it clearly at the start u2014 it’s far less friction than trying to itemize damage at move-out with no ongoing offset.
Put Noise, Common-Area, and Neighbor Rules in the Same Document
A policy that only covers deposits and vaccines misses half the real-world friction. I include specific rules: pets must be carried or leashed in hallways and elevators, no pets in the genkan (entryway) shared with other units, and owners are responsible for immediate cleanup in any shared outdoor space. After one complaint about barking during a tenant’s work-from-home hours, I added a line capping unattended barking complaints at two per year before requiring a remediation plan u2014 vague enough to allow reasonable exceptions, specific enough to act on.
Here’s the checklist I now use before approving any pet application on my properties:
- Confirm building type (RC vs wood-frame) matches the pet size requested
- Collect vaccination certificate and municipal registration for dogs
- Set pet deposit (1 month’s rent) and monthly pet rent (3,000u20135,000 yen)
- Specify maximum number and combined weight limit in the lease addendum
- Attach the noise and common-area rules as a signed exhibit, not a verbal aside
That’s the pet policy framework I now use across all 6 pet-friendly units out of my 9 properties, and it’s cut my vacancy days on those units nearly in half compared to when I refused pets outright.
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15 years of landlord experience u00b7 3 apartment buildings u00b7 DIY renovations that saved millions of yen. Browse all articles at diytosan.com
