Fontana — Attraction in Tokyo

I was a bit worried when reading all those complaining reviews before moving to a Fontana flat, but I decided to follow advice from my friend who had rented from Fontana earlier and gave his recommendations. I guess as usual, people who are happy with the service don't bother to write about it, so in order to help others considering options from where to rent, I wanted to share my experience.

I’ve stayed in two of their apartments, both in Koenji, and with the overall experience I can say Fontana is by far the easiest and most chill option for starting life in Japan. I’ve lived in Tokyo for a year now, and at some point I started looking for an apartment in local market, but I keep staying at Fontana since I really appreciate the fact that 1) there’s no paperwork hassle, 2) the flat comes furnished with the very essentials, 3) your agent opens the gas, water and electricity contracts for you + internet is included so no need for any extra hassle with all those 4) I can stay here as long as I need, and with 1 months notice, I can leave anytime I want, 5) the initial cost with deposit is only one months rent extra.

When renting from regular real estate market, first of all it’s a lot more difficult for a foreigner to get accepted. It requires bunch of papers such as guarantor and bank statements etc, the initial cost with all the guarantor companies, agents and deposits is 2-4 times monthly rent, the contracts need to be done for 2 years, after which you might have to pay renewal fees of your contract. In most cases, when moving in you’ll need to buy absolutely everything from scratch, meaning your apartment won’t have fridge, laundry machine, closets, many times not even aircon when you move in.

Things mentioned above I avoided when dealing with Fontana, saving not only my nerves, but I also calculated that within two years, it won’t become any cheaper for me with local markets supposingly lower rent plus all the hassle, than what I’m paying now for Fontana.

I really like my current apartment, it’s a brand new building with a lot of light, warm in the winter and everything works great. My previous apartment of theirs was ok too, but it was quite old and small, and not as convenient. I love my neighbourhood and I’m happy Fontana has apartments here, since this is the only place I want to live in Tokyo.

My agents Charlotte and Daniel have been very helpful and super flexible, they’ve always been fast to reply to any questions I’ve had and to provide help whenever I’ve needed it, so no complaints on that side either.

The only cons of staying here is the tad higher rent compared to regular long term renting in Japan, and what I don’t like is that since all the neighbours come from different international backgrounds, not everyone respects the Japanese habit of keeping silence at home, so quite often my neighbours might talk loud on Skype many nights a week until 2-3am. Also I’m planning to bring my cats to Japan at some point, so eventually I’ll need to move out to a place that accepts pets.

As said, when moving to Japan and especially if for a shorter or undefined period, in my experience this is definitely one of the best options. I've heard others staying in share houses, of which I don’t have any experience since living with others is not my thing. I know many people who’ve come to live in Tokyo for different periods of time and they've also chosen to stay at Fontana for pretty much the same reasons as I, and everyone’s been happy...

In general,

I had a fine experience living in the apartment, though for the same price I found a much nicer, brand new one. The biggest problem with this company is the management.

Pros The apartment was nicely located and in good condition. It is easy for foreign people on visas less than 2 years. The staff mostly seem friendly.

Cons Poor communication. I had to ask for the code for the post box when I received a parcel, I had to wait a week to get it.

I had an issue with the stove and couldn't use it for about a month, it was a simple fix that could have been dealt with sooner had they asked me more questions. Also, when I asked them to try and sort it sooner I was told that they have more bigger issues to deal with.

My biggest issue was when they let someone into my apartment to clean the pipes without my consent or notifying me that someone had been in there. They sent me an email on the day saying that someone was coming, while I was working so I had no time to respond. apparently there had been notice given in Japanese 2 months prior, yet I was informed on the day, leaving me no time to tidy or prepare. I only discovered someone had been in my apartment as the sink basin was moved.

On my leaving date I schedule the apartment inspection for 12pm as I had to get the train to work at 1pm. I received an email from them at 12pm stating they would be 30 or 40 minutes late due to unforeseen circumstances. This is unacceptable behavior. I could have been late for work and I did not want to have to go back to the office to collect my deposit. The agent who came also didn't have a key with him.

The WiFi would cut out sometimes.

Final bad point is the angry old man who seemed to maintain the apartment building. This man shouted at me and at my friends and family when...

I've been renting an apartment with Fontana for almost a year now but I first rented out a guestroom with them. I think the experience differs upon where you live and each person's personal preference.

Fontana is pretty much at a more reasonable price considering some of the basic furniture you would need, comes with the guestroom or apartment. Good Location Most of their guestrooms and apartments are located fairly near the station. Friendly Staff Although I was confused about who my agent was during my first day in Japan and they also mixed up the schedules of my arrival. The staff who spoke to me was quick on his feet and was able to help me even though their schedules were mixed up. My agent is also very friendly and nice. I've also met the other staff when paying for my rent and they were friendly too. :) Foreigner Friendly When I checked their website they have an international staff which is a plus for people who can only speak their native language. No Guarantor Fee/ Key Money This is a big help for foreigners who do not know anyone who can be their guarantor. Also the key money is pretty much a big amount upon moving in. If you're not sure how long you'll be staying in Japan you might want to avoid this. Quick Response Whenever something needs to be replaced (e.g. light bulbs) or fixed just email your agent and they'll be able to assist you in this as long as it is one of the basic appliances originally in the room. Help when moving They help you move when you want to switch to their other apartments. Accessible Office and Open almost everyday

P.S. For a guesthouse Check the place out and check if the window is shared or you'll be listening in to conversations that you may not want to hear....