All about Rental Furniture and Appliances

When you move into a new apartment to start a new life, you often have to buy furniture and electronic appliances for your home, which can cost a lot of money. If you’re living alone working in a temporary post, you may no longer need those furniture and appliances in a few years, and it may cost you again just to dispose of them.

If you don’t need to use furniture and appliances for a long time, or if you don’t have the financial capacity to buy several items all at once, then you should consider using a rental furniture/appliance service.

In this article, we’ll explain all about rental furniture and appliances, including its advantages and points of caution, as well as how to choose the best rental service for yourself.

What is a Rental Furniture and Appliance Service?

A rental furniture and appliance service is a service that lets you rent home furniture and electrical appliances of your choice for a set period of time. It is recommended for people who will only live in a certain place for a relatively short period of time, or those who want to minimize their moving-in costs.

These services let you rent almost any kind of furniture or electrical appliance that are commonly used in Japanese homes. Appliances can include washing machines, refrigerators, microwave ovens, and TV sets. Home furniture includes tables, sofas, beds, curtains, and more. Some rental companies even let you rent washlet toilet seats.

Rental services also let you rent just one item or several items as a set. This is convenient if you already own some furniture or appliances. If you’re living alone for the first time and you’re not yet sure of what you really need, then you can start by renting a bare essentials set. If you’re about to move soon but one of your electrical appliances breaks down, you can choose to rent only that item for a short time.

Advantages of Rental Furniture and Appliances

Let’s take a look at four advantages of using rental furniture and appliances.

Reduction of moving-in costs

When you move to a new apartment, you usually have to spend a small fortune on things like key money, security deposits, advance rents, as well as moving services. On top of that, buying new furniture and appliances can mean a lot of additional costs. But if you make use of rental service, you don’t have to make a lump sum payment as you only have to pay a monthly rental fee. Depending on how long you plan to use an item, renting it can be much cheaper than buying a new one entirely.

Easier moving-in procedure

Renting furniture and appliances means that you don’t have to move any existing items you might have into your new home, which makes your move easier. The rental furniture and appliances will be delivered to your home, and some rental companies will even install and set them up for you.

No disposal fees

Getting rid of large furniture or electrical appliances usually has a cost in Japan. Large furniture has to be disposed as bulk garbage, and many appliances require you to pay a recycling fee. But if you are using rental furniture and appliances, the rental company will come and collect it from your home at the end of your rental period. This means that you don’t have to pay disposal fees or carry large items by yourself.

Repair and exchange services

No matter how careful you are when using furniture and appliances, they can sometimes break down or get damaged. If you bought your own items, then you either have to pay for repairs or buy new ones out of pocket. But for rental furniture and appliances, some companies offer repair and exchange services, which can be much cheaper than repairing or replacing your own items.

Choosing a Rental Furniture and Appliance Service

The number of companies offering rental furniture and appliances in Japan have increased in recent years. The following is a general checklist to help you identify which company is best for you.

☑ Do they offer individual items and sets that match your requirements?

☑ Do their rental periods match your requirements?

☑ Will it be cheaper to use their service instead of buying on your own?

☑ Do they accept monthly payment or other payment schemes by installment?

☑ Do they offer free delivery and collection?

☑ Can you choose to rent brand new items instead of used ones?

☑ Can you choose to rent specific brands or models?

☑ Do they have a penalty fee for early cancellation?

☑ Do they offer comprehensive support during your rental?

The first thing you should check is whether their items or sets as well as their rental periods match your requirements. Depending on the rental periods available, it may be cheaper to buy the items yourself.

Some companies let you pay in monthly installments, though this usually adds up to a higher price compared to one-time payments. However, it can be convenient if you don’t have enough cash on hand. If you are renting many items, you should choose a company that offers free delivery and collection.

Most rental companies offer rental items that have been previously used by other customers. If you don’t like using secondhand items, check if there is the option to rent brand new items. If you are particular about brands, you should also check if there is the option to choose specific brands or models.

Finally, it’s also a good idea to check the kind of customer support they offer, as well as whether you have to pay for any penalty fees in case you have to cancel midway through your rental period.

Important Points when using Rental Furniture and Appliances

The following are some important points to remember before rental, during rental, and after rental of furniture and appliances.

Before rental

Before renting furniture and appliances, you should confirm the following items.

1. Can you continue your contract as is if you move to a new place during your rental period?
2. Is there are a penalty if you cannot bring the rental items to your new home?
3. Are the rental items working properly after being delivered to your home?

If you think there is a chance that you might have to move to a new house during your rental period, check if you are allowed to bring the rental items to the new place and continue using them as is. If you are not allowed to do so, it may be deemed an early cancellation, so you should also check the company’s penalty fees.

As soon as the rental items are delivered to your home, you should check that they are functioning properly. Most items have been used by other customers before, so they may have significant wear and tear. If you find any issues, you should contact the company immediately to request for a replacement.

During rental

During your rental period, the most important thing to remember is to handle the rental items carefully and avoid damaging them. You will not be charged for natural wear and tear, but you will have to pay compensation for damage from neglect or misuse. This is especially important if there are children or pets living in your home. In some cases, having to pay for compensation means paying a higher price compared to buying the item yourself.

After rental

At the end of your rental period, you should check for any damage or malfunction on the items before returning them. If you want to extend your rental period, check how much the extension fees are. Note that extension periods are usually priced at a higher rate compared to normal rental periods. Depending on your case, it may be cheaper to let the rental period end then start a new rental contract.

Summary

In this article, we explained some important points about rental furniture and appliances. If you plan to live in a specific place just for a few years, or if you don’t have the money to buy all the furniture and appliances you need at once, then rental furniture and appliances may be a good choice for you. If you are considering using rental furniture and appliances, then we hope this article serves as a useful reference.