Rented a Leopalace without a Japanese bank account: they paid the initial costs by bank transfer, then gave Leopalace their bank details after arriving.
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Leopalace screening: documents, guarantor fee and application steps
Leopalace screens every application, and every lease goes through a rent-guarantee company. What you submit depends on whether you are a foreign resident, which contract you sign and who pays. This guide separates the general steps from the foreign-resident requirements.
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What Leopalace asks for
From Leopalace’s lease guide, its document list and its reply to a mystery shopper on September 17, 2026.
| Item | Applies to | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Rent-guarantee company | Every individual lease | A fee of 100% to 120% of the monthly charge at signing, then ¥15,000 a year. A joint guarantor is needed only in some cases, such as minors. |
| Residence card | Foreign residents | Leopalace’s document list asks for it. The list is undated and still names the alien registration certificate Japan replaced in 2012, so confirm with the store. |
| Japanese bank account in your name | Rent by debit | Rent is debited with a ¥524 fee each time. One renter reports paying the initial costs by bank transfer and adding an account after arriving. |
| Two emergency contacts | Foreign residents | A parent or sibling, and an adult living in Japan who speaks Japanese. Both give a phone number and home address. |
| Employment check | Applicants generally | Leopalace screens the application and may call your employer. |
| Monthly contract | Stays of 30 to 365 days | Paid in full up front, with no monthly bank debit. |
Leopalace does not say which visa types it accepts or how long your permission to stay must run.
The application, step by step
- Search and choose a roomUse Leopalace’s room search, or call the English line, 050-3650-7576, 10:00 to 18:30.
- Take a video tour or visit a storeStore visits need a booking from June 2026. A video tour works from abroad.
- Apply and pass screeningMake sure your identity, employer and income details agree across the application.
- Sign onlineSign at least five days before move-in if you want the keys by mail.
- Pay the initial costsLeopalace’s own lease example is ¥234,705 for a ¥50,000 furnished room, before prorated rent and the guarantee fee.
- Receive the keysBy mail if you signed in time, or at the store.
No second contact in Japan yet? Ask your employer, school or a friend, and ask Leopalace whether the person you have in mind is accepted. A monthly contract has no monthly bank debit, so it can be the first step.
What renters say
Their first two places in Japan were Leopalaces and the experience was great.
Avoid common delays
Ask for the document checklist for your contract type before you pay for a move. A company lease, a personal lease and a monthly contract are different processes, so tell the agent who signs, who lives there and which contract you want.
Make the details match: the name, employer and income on your application should agree with your documents. If documents are incomplete, ask what substitute is accepted before you book anything non-refundable.
Related Leopalace guides
Renting a Leopalace as a foreigner
Documents, emergency contacts, English help and stores.
Moving out
Cleaning fees by size, notice steps, the early-exit charge and what counts as damage.
Thin walls
The published wall ratings, what renters report and a viewing checklist.
Leopalace review
Costs, thin walls, the construction defects and what renters say.
Leopalace’s apartment search
Japanese button: “If you are starting to live on your own, Leopalace21” Opens Leopalace21's site (Japanese; English version too)
Leopalace FAQ
Does Leopalace have a screening process?
Yes. Leopalace screens individual applications, goes through a rent-guarantee company for leases and may call your employer.
What documents do foreigners need for Leopalace?
A residence card, a Japanese bank account in your own name and two emergency contacts, according to Leopalace’s document list and its reply to a mystery shopper in September 2026.
How much is Leopalace’s guarantor fee?
100% to 120% of the monthly charge at signing, then ¥15,000 a year from the second year. It is not in the ¥234,705 move-in example.
Can I rent a Leopalace without a Japanese bank account?
A lease debits rent from a Japanese bank account in your name. One renter reports paying the initial costs by transfer and adding an account afterward; a monthly contract has no bank debit.
How long does Leopalace screening take?
Leopalace publishes no processing time or approval rate. To get keys by mail, sign at least five days before move-in.
Set Up in Japan is an independent guide. It is not the property operator’s website.
Leopalace’s apartment search
Japanese button: “If you are starting to live on your own, Leopalace21” Opens Leopalace21's site (Japanese; English version too)
How we checked
Requirements are from Leopalace’s lease guide, its document list and its contact center’s reply to a mystery shopper, read on September 17, 2026, and its online contract page. We do not know Leopalace’s approval rate and do not state one. Renters’ accounts are paraphrased from the Reddit posts linked on each card.
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