Records When Asked to Move Out | Organizing Exchanges With the Landlord
When free or paid use is at issue
A tenant may be told, "I want you to leave. I was letting you live there for free, so I won't pay a relocation fee." This tends to happen when someone moved in through a relative or acquaintance without signing a lease.
In this situation, whether the housing was lent free of charge or rented for payment may become an issue. Which one applies depends on the circumstances of each case, and this article does not judge it. It sets out the kinds of records that may serve as clues for that judgment.
Exchanges that become subjects of record
| Exchange | What is recorded |
|---|---|
| Regular payments | Monthly payments and messages confirming them. Even if the amount was below market rate, the fact that payments continued is recorded. |
| Repair and renovation costs | The amount, date, contractor, and receipt when the tenant paid. |
| Confirmation messages such as "this month's" | Messages from the landlord confirming payment at regular intervals. |
| Rent negotiations | Proposals for an increase or change, and the replies. |
The absence of a contract, a low rent, or a verbal agreement does not by itself decide which kind of relationship existed. In terms of records, what is organized is how much of the history of exchanges remains.
Records for each kind of exchange
Regular confirmation messages
If the landlord sent a message such as "This month's, please" at a set time each month, the dates received, the number of messages, and the period are recorded. In the example below, 41 messages arrived over a little more than three years.
Repair and renovation costs
If the tenant paid for replacing a water heater or repairing a washbasin, the amount, date, and contractor on each receipt are noted. In the example, the tenant paid for a water heater replacement (138,600 yen) and a washbasin repair (28,600 yen), 167,200 yen in total. The landlord's replies when told about the repairs are also subjects of record.
Events before and after the request to move out
Exchanges in the one to three months before and after the request to move out are checked in date order. In the example, the landlord proposed a rent increase on September 15, 2024; the tenant declined on October 3; and a message asking the tenant to leave by the end of March arrived on October 8, five days after the refusal. When the course of events remains with dates, the person receiving a consultation can confirm the sequence.
Steps for organizing
- Gather the records at hand: message screenshots, receipts for repairs and renovations, exchanges with contractors, and transfer records. For messages containing "this month's," note the number and period; for receipts, note the amount, date, and contractor.
- Check the exchanges from one to three months before the request to move out, and write down topics about money, proposals, and replies, with dates.
- Mark exchanges involving money, such as monthly confirmations, repair costs, and the proposed increase, and add the date and source (LINE, receipt, etc.).
Example of the output
In a consultation, questions may be asked about when the tenant moved in, the amount of rent, and whether there was a contract. The following is an example of the statement of facts and chronology produced when the records gathered in the steps above are entered into the organizing tool.
1. Overview
The writer (tenant, in their 30s) moved into a property owned by a relative (landlord) in April 2021. The writer was told verbally, "It's cheap, so don't worry about it," but from shortly after moving in, the landlord confirmed "this month's" payment by LINE every month, with a total of 41 confirmation messages between April 2021 and September 2024. During the same period, the tenant paid for a water heater replacement (138,600 yen) and a washbasin repair (28,600 yen), 167,200 yen in total. On September 15, 2024, the landlord proposed a monthly increase; five days after the tenant declined, on October 8, 2024, the tenant received a message asking them to move out.
2. Totals by category
"This month's" confirmation messages: 41 / Repair costs paid by tenant: 2 items, 167,200 yen / Rent negotiation messages: 4 / Request to move out: 1
3. Chronology
| Date | Type | What happened | Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021/04/01 | Move-in | Moved in after being told verbally, "It's cheap, so don't worry about it." No lease or loan-for-use agreement signed. | None |
| 2021/04/20 | Confirmation | LINE from the landlord: "This month's, please." First payment confirmation, 20 days after moving in. Similar exchanges continue around the 15th to 22nd of each month. | LINE |
| 2022/11/03 | Repair | Water heater broke down. When contacted, the landlord said, "Please handle it yourself," and the tenant asked A Facilities to repair it. | LINE |
| 2022/11/07 | Repair | A Facilities completed the water heater replacement. Paid 138,600 yen (receipt No. 22110203). Paid in full by the tenant. | Receipt |
| 2023/04/17 | Repair | Washbasin faucet leak. Repair requested from B Service and completed. Paid 28,600 yen (receipt No. 23042201). Paid in full by the tenant. | Receipt |
| 2024/09/15 | Rent | LINE from the landlord: "Actually, from next year I was hoping you could raise the monthly amount a little." No specific amount given. | LINE |
| 2024/10/03 | Rent | Tenant replied, "I would like to keep it as it is," adding, "If that is difficult, I will consider what to do next." | LINE |
| 2024/10/08 | Move-out | LINE from the landlord: "Then I would like to ask you to move out by the end of March next year." Five days after the increase was declined. | LINE |
4. List of evidence
Screenshots of "this month's" confirmation messages (2021/04 to 2024/09, 41 in total) / Water heater receipt (138,600 yen, 2022/11/07) / Washbasin repair receipt (28,600 yen, 2023/04/17) / LINE exchange on the repair request and "Please handle it yourself" / Screenshots of the rent increase negotiation (2024/09/15 to 10/08, 4 messages) / Screenshot of the move-out request (2024/10/08)
The actual output is a PDF, and its content depends on the records entered.
Types of places that take consultations
Places that take consultations include lawyers as well as consultation desks run by local governments and public agencies. The scope handled differs by desk.
This article introduces general information and is not legal advice on any individual case.