Be present to inspect the property when moving into a rental unit.

Around springtime every year, we receive numerous inquiries regarding troubles about restoring rental units to their original state when the tenant moves out.

　毎年，春になると，「賃貸マンションから引っ越しをする際に，原状回復でトラブルになった」という相談が多く寄せられます。

At the time of moving out of the rental unit, the tenant must restore any damages, including scratches and defacement occurring during the rental period to the original state before vacating the unit. (This is referred to as the “Tenant’s Obligation to Restore.”)

　賃貸マンションの退去時には，部屋を借りた人は賃借期間中に生じたキズ・汚損等を原状に回復して部屋を明け渡さなければなりません（これを「原状回復義務」といいます）。

However, under the Tenant’s Obligation to Restore, the tenant does not have to restore the rental unit to the exact same state as at the time the rental started. They are only obliged to restore if scratches, defacement and other damages were made by:
1. the tenant’s willful misconduct or negligence or breach of the duty of due care of a prudent manager; or
2. use other than normal use.

　しかし，原状回復義務については，借りた当時とまったく同じ状態に戻す必要はなく，部屋を借りた人の

(1)故意・過失や善管注意義務違反，

(2)通常の使用を超えるような使用

によるキズ・汚損等を復旧することに限られています。

It is important that both the landlord and the tenant are present to inspect and take photos of the state of the unit at the time of moving in to avoid any troubles regarding restoration of the property.

　原状回復に関するトラブルを未然に防止するためには，入居時の部屋の状態を家主と借りる人双方が立ち会って確認し，写真に撮っておくことが重要です。

These photos can be used to determine whether scratches, defacement and other damages, which are found at the time of moving out, already existed before moving in or occurred after moving in.

　退去時に発見されたキズ・汚損等が入居前から存在していたものか，それとも入居以降に生じたものなのかを判断することができます。