Six Steps for moving
1. Terminate your lease
You should inform your landlord at least one to two months prior to your desired termination date.
International students who are using the university guarantor system should submit a “Notice of Termination” to the relevant staff in their department.
2. Find a moving company
Most people ask professional movers to do the actual moving-out tasks. It is best to obtain and compare estimates from different companies.
3. Remove all belongings
Remove all personal belongings from the house and clean your rooms thoroughly; do not leave any garbage.
Bicycles may be given away to others, but please make sure you hand over the registration documents along with your bicycle.
4. Disposal of garbage
If you need to dispose of furniture, futons, bicycles or a large amount of garbage, you must contact the ward office to find out how to dispose of them at your earliest convenience.
TVs, washing machines, refrigerators, and air-conditioners cannot be disposed of as ordinary oversized garbage. Used PCs also cannot be disposed of as ordinary garbage. Please see the following page to know how to dispose these items.
5. Return the house key
Meet with your landlord or real estate agent in person to return your keys.
You need to follow the “restitution rule” stipulated in your contract, by which the room should be in the same condition when you arrive and when you leave; this calls for inspection by the landlord or real-estate agent.
It is not always possible to settle the deposit as soon as you move out. If you plan to leave Japan immediately,
it will be necessary to find someone to represent you in your absence.
6. Notify the following establishments of your moving date
| Tohoku University | Inform your department’s Educational Affairs Section (if you are a student) or General Affairs Section (if you are a researcher) of your change of address. |
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| City ward offices | You have to register your new adress at the ward office within one month after you moved. Please don’t forget to bring your residence card and Social Security and Tax Number Notification Card there so that your new address will be shown on them. If you move from one ward to another, you can perform procedure at both of the wards. For the procedure in case you move from Sendai city to another, please click here. You are also required to change the address on your National Health Insurance certificate. |
| Gas, electricity and water | Call each utility office at least one week prior to moving out. |
| Police station | If you have a driver’s license, you are expected to submit an address-change notice to the police department or the Driver Licensing Center that has jurisdiction over your new address. |
| Telephone company | Regarding landline service, call “116” (refer here for detailed information) to have the line transferred. For mobile phones, inform your provider of your new address. |
| Financial institutions | Address changes should be announced to all banks and credit card companies with which you have accounts. |
| Post office | Submit a change-of-address notice to the post office closest to your new accommodation, so that mail sent to your old address can be automatically transferred to your new address for one year. |
| NHK | Go through the procedure for your change of address here (Japanese only). |
Support with Procedures Involved in Moving Process
The International Support Center offers a wide range of assistance related to tenancy matters.
International researchers and faculty members requiring assistance with formalities involved in moving process, may contact us from the below link:
