Survey on Elderly Tenants in Rental Housing

At Home Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Ota-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yasufumi Tsurumori; hereinafter referred to as 'At Home'), a real estate information service provider, has released the 'Survey on Elderly Tenants in Rental Housing.' This report summarizes the results of a questionnaire conducted with property management companies and tenants aged 60 and over regarding elderly rental housing.

This survey was conducted by At Home, which commissioned At Home Lab Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Yoshitaka Otake) for data analysis, and is being published by At Home.

<Topics>

49.2% of property management companies have rejected elderly applicants due to age-related reasons, such as landlord preferences, within the past year.

80.0% of property management companies are aware of the age of tenants who have been renewing their leases for many years.

The most significant challenge property management companies face regarding single elderly tenants is 'loneliness death.'

90.1% of property management companies are aware of 'monitoring services' designed for the elderly.

49.1% of property management companies are willing to introduce 'monitoring services' or 'loneliness death insurance,' depending on conditions.

10.7% of elderly individuals have experienced being rejected from rental housing applications.

The greatest concern among elderly tenants is 'deterioration of their own health (illness, increased medical visits, etc.).'

48.6% of elderly individuals are reluctant to move to rental housing, with financial burden being the most common reason.

<Survey Results>

≪Survey of Property Management Companies≫

49.2% of property management companies have rejected elderly applicants due to age-related reasons within the past year.

When asked, 'Have you rejected any applicants due to age in the past year?', approximately half of the management companies responded 'Yes.' In the Kanto region, the rate was 57.3%, compared to 40.8% in other regions, indicating a slightly higher tendency to reject applicants in Kanto.

When asked whose decision it was to reject applicants, 'landlord's intention' accounted for over 80% (including cases where both landlord and management company agreed).

80.0% of property management companies are aware of the age of long-term tenants who repeatedly renew their leases.

80.0% of management companies are aware of the age of tenants who have lived in their properties for many years through continuous lease renewals. When asked, 'Do you add new tenancy conditions for existing elderly tenants during renewal?', responses included 'We encourage joining a guarantor company during contract renewal' and 'We require tenants to join housing insurance that covers estate clearance and special cleaning.'

The most significant challenge property management companies face regarding single elderly tenants is 'loneliness death' (84.0%).

84.0% of management companies identified 'loneliness death' as the biggest challenge when accepting single elderly tenants. This was followed by concerns about 'becoming a haunted property' and 'leftover item disposal'—issues arising after the tenant's death.

Additionally, in the 'Other' category, management companies mentioned concerns such as 'We recommend all-electric housing due to worries about fire hazards from unattended stoves' and 'We are unsure how to set boundaries regarding support before tenants receive dementia or caregiving certification.'

90.1% of property management companies are aware of 'monitoring services' for the elderly.

90.1% of management companies are aware of monitoring services as a solution to address concerns and challenges in accepting elderly tenants. However, only 19.5% responded that they 'have properties where such services are implemented,' and even when including those who 'have considered implementing them,' the figure only reaches 39.3%.

49.1% of property management companies are willing to introduce 'monitoring services' or 'loneliness death insurance' depending on conditions.

Regarding future intentions to introduce 'monitoring services' or 'loneliness death insurance,' 49.1% responded 'willing to introduce depending on conditions.' When asked why some companies are not considering implementation, responses included 'It is difficult to negotiate cost burdens with landlords' and 'We are already covered by neighborhood associations or local governments (through monitoring).' Additionally, some management companies expressed reluctance toward elderly tenancy altogether, stating 'Accepting elderly tenants involves significant burdens, so we would prefer to avoid it if possible.'

≪Survey of Tenants Aged 60 and Over≫

10.7% of elderly individuals have experienced being rejected from rental housing applications.

When asked, 'Have you ever been rejected (failed screening) when applying for rental housing?', 10.7% responded 'Yes,' while 88.0% responded 'No.' Among those who experienced rejection, cases were confirmed where applicants were rejected due to difficulty securing a guarantor or because of their age.

The greatest concern among elderly tenants is 'deterioration of their own health (illness, increased medical visits, etc.).'

The top concern among elderly tenants regarding their current living situation is health-related issues, particularly 'deterioration of their own health (illness, increased medical visits, etc.).' This was followed by financial concerns such as 'increased living expenses and rent burden' and housing-related anxieties like 'whether they can continue living in rental housing in the future (renewal, eviction, etc.).'

48.6% of elderly individuals are reluctant to relocate to rental housing, with financial burden being the most common reason.

48.6% of surveyed elderly individuals expressed reluctance toward moving or relocating to rental housing, stating they 'do not want to move.' The most common reason was the financial burden of moving costs. This was followed by 'attachment to current home and neighborhood' and 'difficulty with packing and administrative procedures.'

<Survey Overview>

≪Property Management Company Survey≫

Period: February 2–20, 2026

Target: Management executives of rental property management companies nationwide affiliated with At Home

Valid responses: 632 companies

Method: Direct interviews conducted by At Home

≪Tenant Survey (Aged 60 and Over)≫

Period: February 24–26, 2026

Target: Men and women aged 60 and over currently living in rental housing, not requiring care support, and not cohabiting with children

Valid responses: 288 individuals

Method: Online questionnaire survey

*There is no relationship between the surveyed management companies and tenants.