Japanese Phrases for Requesting an Apartment Repair

To request an apartment repair in Japanese, say 部屋の設備に不具合があるので、修理をお願いしたいです (heya no setsubi ni fuguai ga aru node, shuuri o onegai shitai desu). Then describe the problem, when it started and whether there is immediate danger.

Document first and contact the management route in your lease. Do not arrange expensive non-emergency work or admit fault before responsibilities are clear.

Key takeaways

• Contact the management company or landlord listed in the lease.
• State the room number, affected equipment, symptoms and start time.
• Distinguish urgent danger from ordinary inconvenience.
• Take dated photos or video before and after temporary safety steps.
• Ask who will visit, when and whether someone must be home.
• Request written confirmation of cost responsibility.
• Do not use real confidential details in public AI practice.
• Use housing or legal consultation when the dispute remains unresolved.

In this guide: vocabulary | message | problems | visit | cost | scripts | escalation | practice

Essential apartment repair vocabulary

Use 設備 for installed equipment and 部屋 or 物件 for the room/property.

A clear repair request

Use this five-part structure:

1. Identify yourself and room.
2. Name the problem.
3. State when it started.
4. Explain safety or daily-life impact.
5. Request inspection and a response time.

Example:

[Building name] 305号室の [name] です。昨日から給湯器が動かず、お湯が出ません。確認と修理をお願いできますか。
[Building] sanbyaku-go-goushitsu no [name] desu. Kinou kara kyuutouki ga ugokazu, oyu ga demasen. Kakunin to shuuri o onegai dekimasu ka.
I am [name] in room 305. Since yesterday the water heater has not worked, and there is no hot water. Could you inspect and repair it?

Avoid only saying 壊れています (it is broken). Symptoms help the company send the right contractor.

Phrases by repair problem

Water leak

キッチンの下から水が漏れています。
Kicchin no shita kara mizu ga morete imasu.
Water is leaking from under the kitchen.

水漏れが広がっているので、至急確認をお願いします。
Mizumore ga hirogatte iru node, shikyuu kakunin o onegai shimasu.
The leak is spreading, so please inspect it urgently.

元栓を閉めました。次に何をすればよいですか。
Motose n o shimemashita. Tsugi ni nani o sureba yoi desu ka.
I closed the main valve. What should I do next?

Correct the spacing when speaking: motosen o shimemashita.

Drain or toilet blockage

排水口が詰まって、水が流れません。
Haisuikou ga tsumatte, mizu ga nagaremasen.

トイレの水位が上がっています。使用を止めています。
Toire no suii ga agatte imasu. Shiyou o tomete imasu.
The toilet water level is rising. I have stopped using it.

Air conditioner

エアコンをつけても冷たい風が出ません。
Eakon o tsukete mo tsumetai kaze ga demasen.

本体から水が落ちています。
Hontai kara mizu ga ochite imasu.
Water is dripping from the unit.

Do not assume the installed air conditioner belongs to the landlord. OFIX notes that responsibility can depend on whether it was supplied equipment or left by a previous tenant.

Electricity

ブレーカーを戻しても、すぐに落ちます。
Bureekaa o modoshite mo, sugu ni ochimasu.

焦げたようなにおいがします。
Kogeta you na nioi ga shimasu.
It smells burnt.

For smoke, fire, sparks or immediate danger, leave the area and use appropriate emergency services rather than waiting for a normal repair appointment.

Door, lock or window

玄関の鍵が回りません。
Genkan no kagi ga mawarimasen.

窓が閉まらず、鍵をかけられません。
Mado ga shimara zu, kagi o kakeraremasen.
The window will not close, so I cannot lock it.

Mold or unusual smell

壁にカビが広がっています。原因を確認していただけますか。
Kabe ni kabi ga hirogatte imasu. Genin o kakunin shite itadakemasu ka.

ガスのような異臭がします。
Gasu no you na ishuu ga shimasu.

If gas is suspected, avoid switches or flames, ventilate only if safe, leave and contact the gas emergency route listed by the supplier/building.

Describing when and how it happens

Useful phrases:

昨日の夜からです。
It started last night.

使用するときだけ音がします。
Shiyou suru toki dake oto ga shimasu.
It makes a sound only when used.

ずっとではなく、時々起きます。
Zutto dewa naku, tokidoki okimasu.
It is intermittent.

写真と動画を送ることができます。
Shashin to douga o okuru koto ga dekimasu.

どのメールアドレスに送ればよいですか。
Dono meeru adoresu ni okureba yoi desu ka.

Do not open electrical or gas equipment to create proof.

Scheduling a repair visit

Ask:

いつ確認に来ていただけますか。
Itsu kakunin ni kite itadakemasu ka.
When can someone come to inspect it?

平日は18時以降でしたら在宅しています。
Heijitsu wa juu-hachi-ji ikou deshitara zaitaku shite imasu.
I am home after 6 p.m. on weekdays.

立ち会いは必要ですか。
Tachiai wa hitsuyou desu ka.
Do I need to be present?

作業にはどのくらいかかりますか。
Sagyou ni wa dono kurai kakarimasu ka.

訪問する会社名と担当者名を教えてください。
Houmon suru kaishamei to tantoushamei o oshiete kudasai.

Confirm whether management has authorized entry and what notice is required under the lease.

Asking about cost and responsibility

Use neutral questions instead of admitting fault:

修理費用はどちらの負担になりますか。
Shuuri hiyou wa dochira no futan ni narimasu ka.
Who will be responsible for the repair cost?

費用が発生する場合は、作業前に金額を教えてください。
Hiyou ga hassei suru baai wa, sagyou mae ni kingaku o oshiete kudasai.
If there is a cost, please tell me before work starts.

契約書のどの条項に基づく費用でしょうか。
Keiyakusho no dono joukou ni motozuku hiyou deshou ka.
Which lease clause is this cost based on?

書面で確認をいただけますか。
Shomen de kakunin o itadakemasu ka.

Houterasu explains that landlords generally have repair obligations, while tenant-caused faults and contract terms can change the result. This article is language support, not legal advice.

Complete phone and message scripts

Phone script

You: [Building] 305号室の [name] です。部屋の設備の修理についてお電話しました。
Management: どのような不具合ですか。
You: 昨日の夜から、キッチンの下で水漏れしています。元栓を閉めましたが、床が濡れています。
Management: 写真を送れますか。
You: はい。送付先を教えてください。また、いつ確認に来ていただけますか。
Management: 明日の午前中はいかがですか。
You: 大丈夫です。費用が発生する場合は、作業前に教えてください。

Written message

件名：305号室 キッチン水漏れの修理依頼
Subject: Room 305 - kitchen leak repair request

[Management company] ご担当者様
[Building] 305号室の [name] です。10月22日午後9時頃から、キッチンのシンク下で水漏れが発生しています。現在は元栓を閉め、使用を停止しています。写真を添付します。安全確認と修理の手配、および訪問可能な日時をご連絡ください。費用が発生する場合は、作業前に書面でご案内をお願いします。

Keep the sent message, attachments and reply.

When management does not respond

Send a factual follow-up:

10月22日に修理をお願いしましたが、まだご連絡をいただいていません。水漏れが続いており、生活に支障があります。本日中に対応予定をご連絡ください。

Record:

• Date/time first noticed.
• Photos/video.
• Temporary safety actions.
• Every call, email and response.
• Repair estimates and receipts.
• Lease clauses.

For unresolved issues, Houterasu provides English legal-system information, MLIT publishes rental guidance and standard materials, and local governments offer multilingual consultation. Tokyo residents can use Tokyo Multilingual Consultation Navi. Consumer Hotline 188 is Japanese-only and routes callers to local centers.

Do not withhold rent, hire a contractor or make structural changes based only on a blog article.

Practice plan

Step 1: choose one defect

Describe leak, air conditioner or water heater in one sentence.

Step 2: add timeline and impact

State when it started and what cannot be used.

Step 3: negotiate a visit

Offer two time windows and ask about presence.

Step 4: ask about cost

Request written confirmation before work.

Practise an apartment repair call, repeat it with an unavailable appointment, and try an urgent leak scenario using fictional details.

Connect this practice with Japanese speaking practice with AI, how to practice speaking Japanese alone, Japanese shadowing practice, and a 30-minute Japanese study routine.

Related communication skills

Property repair calls also build skills used in:

• Japanese meeting phrases.
• Japanese client meeting phrases.
• Japanese interview keigo phrases.
• Japanese conversation at work.
• Best apps for Japanese at work.
• Best free Japanese conversation apps.
• Best apps to learn Japanese speaking.
• Bunpro Japanese review for grammar repair.
• JLPT N5 guide for basic time, date and request forms.
• JLPT N4 guide for conditionals and polite explanations.
• Busuu Japanese review for a broader structured course.

Do not delay a safety response merely to produce perfect Japanese. For fire, dangerous smoke, suspected gas or serious electrical risk, move to safety first and use the building's documented emergency route or Japan's appropriate emergency service. Language practice comes after immediate harm has been controlled.

Final checklist

Before ending the contact, confirm:

• Problem and room number.
• Immediate safety steps.
• Photo/video destination.
• Visit date and time.
• Contractor/company identity.
• Whether presence is required.
• Cost authorization and payer.
• Written reference or ticket.

End with:

ご対応ありがとうございます。確認内容をメッセージでもいただけますか。
Gotaiou arigatou gozaimasu. Kakunin naiyou o messeeji demo itadakemasu ka.

How we researched

We checked Houterasu's English housing FAQ, MLIT rental guidance and restoration materials, Consumer Affairs Agency consultation information, Tokyo multilingual services and OFIX housing guidance on 22 October 2026. We separated general legal information from contract-specific advice.

Repair responsibility, emergency procedure and consultation availability depend on facts and location. Check the lease and official local services.

Sources

• Houterasu housing and property FAQ
• MLIT rental housing guidance for foreign nationals
• MLIT private rental housing materials
• Consumer Affairs Agency consultation information
• Tokyo services for foreign residents
• OFIX Life in Japan housing FAQ

About SoraSpeak: SoraSpeak is an AI Japanese speaking-practice web app at https://soraspeak.com. It provides three free spoken sessions per day without a credit card. Support: soraspeaksupport@gmail.com.

SoraSpeak is an independent Japanese speaking-practice app. It is not a school, employer, immigration adviser, testing organization, or affiliate of any product named here. Requirements, fees, schedules, and product features can change; verify them with the official source before acting.

FAQ