Rental services for furniture and electrical appliances, which are mainly used by Japanese people who have to live in different cities for a short term, are equally available to foreigners as long as they meet the terms of the contract. Although the number of furnished apartments in Japan has increased in recent years, their availability is still fewer than foreign countries. One of the things that have been bothering foreign tenants who are planning to stay in Japan for a certain period of time is how to clean up their unnecessary furniture and electrical appliances. In most cases, they leave the products which can generally be used for around 10 years, so they bring them to a secondhand shop, give them to their friends, or involuntarily throw them out for a fee despite it is not acceptable in terms of both cost and environment. If they use rental furniture and electrical appliances, they can save money (depending on the period of service) and also avoid all the hassle.

Rental products and the conditions of a contract differ depending on the rental company, but in general, the longer the contract is, the less you pay, and you can select either a lump-sum payment or an installment payment. You need to keep it in mind that you will have to pay a cancellation fee if you cancel before the term expires.

There are various types of services available; a package of basic products such as TV, refrigerator, laundry machine and microwave; a package of several products you select; rental of only what you need; buying the products after the contract expires; and so on. A lot of companies rent new ones, and repair or exchange the product for free when it is broken, although you might not be able to select the color and design of the product in some cases. You should choose the company providing the services that suit your needs the best.

To apply for the services, parental consent is usually required for students or minors, and sometimes even adults need to have a guarantee. Toshiba Techno Network Co., which offers Toshiba rental electrical appliances, requires foreigners to have a Japanese guarantee when they sign a contract. Also, it is important to keep it in mind that if you don't have a credit card, you cannot choose an installment payment and have to pay cash at one time.

▼ Toshiba Techno Network Co.
http://www.toshiba.co.jp/tcn/pack/index_j.htm （Japanese HP）