Survey of 1,069 People: Nearly 1 in 5 Rental Property Owners/Managers Have Experienced a Tenant's 'Lonely Death' | Over 60% Anxious About Lonely Deaths

Blue Clean Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Ota-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Ryuji Fujita; hereinafter "the Company"), which operates a bio-recovery business (sanitary restoration services such as special cleaning), conducted a "Survey on Lonely Deaths in Rental Properties" targeting 1,069 individuals who own or manage rental properties.

For survey details, click here: https://b-clean.jp/owned/property-owner-death-in-solitude-anxiety

A survey conducted by Blue Clean Co., Ltd. of 1,069 rental property owners and managers revealed that nearly one in five (22.64%) have experienced a tenant's lonely death.

With the increase in single-person elderly households, lonely death is becoming recognized not just as a problem for individuals and families, but also as a realistic risk in rental property management.

Particularly in rental properties, delayed discovery can lead to indoor contamination, costs for special cleaning and restoration, impacts on asset value due to disclosure obligations, and prolonged vacancies, all of which can be a significant burden for owners and management companies.

On the other hand, even if they feel the need for countermeasures against lonely deaths, many cases do not proceed to concrete actions for reasons such as "not knowing what to do" or "leaving it to the management company."

Therefore, Blue Clean Co., Ltd. conducted a questionnaire survey of 1,069 people who own or manage rental properties about their experiences with, anxieties about, and countermeasures for tenants' lonely deaths, as well as their stance on accepting elderly single tenants.

Blue Clean Co., Ltd. will continue to visualize the risks and response challenges of lonely deaths in rental properties through such surveys and will disseminate information that allows owners and management companies to consider appropriate preparations.

[Regarding the Use of This Survey]

1. When citing or reprinting the data from this survey, please indicate "Source: Blue Clean Co., Ltd."

2. Please link to the following page as the source.

https://b-clean.jp/owned/property-owner-death-in-solitude-anxiety

[Survey Overview]

Survey Name: Survey on Lonely Deaths in Rental Properties

Survey Period: May 13, 2026 - May 15, 2026

Survey Method: Web survey using Freeasy

Survey Target: People who own or manage rental properties

Valid Responses: SQ Survey 1,069 people, Main Survey 500 people

Survey Summary

22.64% of rental owners/managers have experienced a tenant's lonely death in their managed properties.

61.2% have felt anxious about a tenant's lonely death.

The most common anxiety regarding lonely death was "fear that discovery will be delayed, leading to a serious condition of the room" (75.16%).

46.4% answered that they have "not taken any particular measures."

The most common reason for not taking measures was "not feeling the need for it at the moment" (33.19%).

The most needed support for lonely death countermeasures was "the spread of low-cost monitoring services" (42.24%).

A total of 30.8% of respondents answered that they "avoid as much as possible" or "generally refuse" elderly single tenants.

Nearly 1 in 5 Rental Owners/Managers Have Experienced a Tenant's 'Lonely Death'

Of 1,069 rental owners/managers, 22.64% have experienced a "tenant's lonely death," revealing that nearly one in five has had this experience (according to Blue Clean Co., Ltd.).

When 1,069 people who own or manage rental properties were asked if they had experience with a tenant dying alone in a managed property, 22.64% answered "yes."

This result shows that lonely death in rental properties is not a rare, special case but a realistic risk for owners and management companies.

In recent years, with the increase in single-person elderly households, it has become more common for the elderly to live alone. On the other hand, as connections with family and the community become weaker, environments where abnormalities are not easily noticed are increasing, suggesting that the risk of lonely death may further increase in the future.

When a lonely death occurs in a rental property, it often affects management, including indoor contamination due to delayed discovery, restoration, disclosure obligations, and prolonged vacancies.

Therefore, lonely death is considered to be an issue that cannot be ignored not only for the tenant and their family but also in rental property management.

Over 60% of Rental Owners/Managers Are Anxious About Lonely Deaths | Greater Concern for 'Post-Occurrence Business Damage' Than for the 'Death Itself'

61.2% of rental owners/managers feel anxious about tenants' lonely deaths, with the most common anxiety being "deterioration of the room due to delayed discovery" at 75.16% (according to Blue Clean Co., Ltd.).

Next, when asked if they had ever felt anxious about a tenant's lonely death, 61.2% answered "yes."

This suggests that many rental owners and managers recognize the lonely death of a tenant as a "possible risk."

The most common specific anxiety was "fear that discovery will be delayed, leading to a serious condition of the room" at 75.16%.

This was followed by "fear of high costs for special cleaning and restoration" (65.03%), "fear that the property's asset value will decrease due to disclosure obligations" (56.54%), and "fear that the vacancy period will lengthen, reducing rental income" (50.65%).

What this survey result reveals is that many owners and managers are anxious not about the "death itself," but about the impact on their business that occurs after the discovery.

In fact, the longer it takes to discover a lonely death, the more bodily fluids and odors penetrate the floors, walls, and building materials, increasing the number of cases that cannot be handled by normal cleaning.

As a result, special cleaning and restoration become necessary, and the financial burden can be significant.

Furthermore, there were concerns about the impact on rental management, such as the obligation to disclose the property as a stigmatized property and prolonged vacancies due to avoidance by prospective tenants.

Half 'Have Not Taken Any Measures' Against Lonely Deaths | The Most Common Measure is 'Entrusting to a Management Company'

46.4% of rental owners/managers have not implemented measures against lonely deaths, with the most common measure being "entrusting the response to a management company" at 27.4% (according to Blue Clean Co., Ltd.).

When asked about their countermeasures for lonely deaths, 46.4% of respondents answered that they "have not taken any particular measures."

This revealed that while many owners and managers are anxious about tenants' lonely deaths, about half have not taken concrete measures.

On the other hand, the most common measure being implemented was "entrusting the response to a management company" (27.4%).

This was followed by "securing multiple emergency contacts at the time of move-in" (18.4%), "conducting regular safety checks" (14.8%), "subscribing to lonely death insurance (small-amount, short-term insurance, etc.)" (12.8%), and "installing monitoring services/IoT devices" (10.6%).

However, only 3.2% of respondents answered that they had "identified or contracted with a special cleaning company in advance."

This result suggests that while some progress has been made in preventive measures for lonely death risk, cases where a response system is prepared for the event of an occurrence are still in the minority.

Reasons for Lack of Progress in Lonely Death Countermeasures Center on 'Not Feeling the Need' and 'Leaving It to the Management Company'

The top two reasons for not taking measures against lonely deaths were "not feeling the need for it at the moment" (33.19%) and "leaving it to the management company" (32.76%) (according to Blue Clean Co., Ltd.).

When people who are not taking measures against lonely deaths were asked for the reason, the most common answer was "because I don't feel the need for it at the moment" at 33.19%.

This was followed by "because I'm leaving it to the management company" (32.76%), "because the financial burden is large" (18.10%), and "because I don't know what to do" (15.09%).

In this survey, while over 60% feel anxious about lonely deaths, about half have not taken concrete measures.

From this, it is thought that there are situations such as "although there is anxiety, it is not yet perceived as a realistic problem that could happen in my own property" and "since it is left to the management company, the owner themselves does not grasp the detailed measures."

Also, a certain number of respondents answered, "I don't know what to do."

Countermeasures for lonely deaths involve multiple aspects, including monitoring, emergency contact systems, insurance, restoration, special cleaning, and dealing with the bereaved family. Therefore, it is thought that many people are unable to take action because they do not know where to start preparing.

'Low-Cost Monitoring Services' is the Most Requested Support for Lonely Death Countermeasures

The top three requested supports for lonely death countermeasures were "spread of low-cost monitoring services" (42.24%), "subsidies and grants from the government" (39.22%), and "legal framework for safety checks" (34.48%), highlighting a strong demand for low-cost support and system development (according to Blue Clean Co., Ltd.).

When asked about support that would make it easier to tackle lonely death countermeasures, the most common answer was "the spread of low-cost monitoring services" at 42.24%.

This was followed by "subsidy and grant systems by the government" (39.22%) and "legal framework to mandate safety checks on tenants" (34.48%).

Other answers included "reduction of lonely death insurance premiums" (17.24%), "development of a lonely death response manual for landlords" (16.38%), and "simplification of advance contracts with special cleaning companies" (10.34%).

This result shows that for many owners and managers, cost and institutional aspects are major barriers to lonely death countermeasures.

While monitoring services and IoT devices can lead to the early discovery of lonely deaths, their implementation costs and operational burdens tend to be issues. Therefore, it is thought that there is a strong demand for low-cost, easy-to-implement systems.

Also, the fact that over 30% of respondents called for the mandatory implementation of safety checks suggests that many people feel the need to establish lonely death countermeasures as an industry-wide or institutional system, rather than leaving it to individual efforts.

About 30% of Rental Owners/Managers Are Cautious About Accepting Elderly Single Tenants

In the screening of elderly single tenants, about 30% showed a cautious stance, combining "avoid" (18.2%) and "refuse" (12.6%), while only 5.4% were "actively accepting" (according to Blue Clean Co., Ltd.).

When asked about the screening of elderly single tenants, the most common answer was "no particular criteria" at 36.4%.

On the other hand, 27.4% were "accepting with conditions," 18.2% were "trying to avoid as much as possible," and 12.6% were "generally refusing."

Combining "trying to avoid as much as possible" and "generally refusing" amounts to 30.8%, showing that about 30% of owners and managers have a cautious stance on accepting elderly single tenants.

On the other hand, 5.4% of respondents answered that they were "actively accepting."

With the increase in single-person elderly households, the demand for rental housing for the elderly is expected to increase further. Among them, it is suggested that a certain number of owners and managers are proceeding with the acceptance of elderly single tenants while utilizing monitoring services and guarantee systems.

Lonely Death Risk May Be a Factor Raising the Hurdle for Elderly Single Tenants

In this survey, many voices were heard expressing anxiety about the business damage that occurs after a lonely death.

Specifically, these include room deterioration due to delayed discovery, costs for special cleaning and restoration, decline in asset value, prolonged vacancies, and disclosure obligations.

Especially in cases of delayed discovery, normal cleaning may not be sufficient, and specialized special cleaning or large-scale restoration may be necessary. Furthermore, it can affect subsequent leasing activities, potentially leading to long-term vacancies and rent reductions.

It is thought that this background is one of the reasons for being cautious about accepting elderly single tenants.

However, this is not simply a matter of "not wanting to accept them because they are elderly."

Rather, it is thought that the lack of sufficient preparation and support systems for the risk of lonely death is making it difficult to accept elderly single tenants.

As single-person elderly households continue to increase, it is important not only to ask owners to accept them but also to simultaneously promote the creation of mechanisms to reduce the risk of lonely death in order to secure housing for the elderly.

In Rental Management, Preparation for 'Post-Occurrence Response' as well as 'Prevention' of Lonely Deaths Becomes Important

This survey revealed that while many owners and managers are anxious about tenants' lonely deaths, they have not progressed to sufficient countermeasures.

It also became clear that the center of their anxiety is not just the death itself, but the burdens that arise after discovery, such as indoor contamination, restoration costs, decline in asset value, and prolonged vacancies.

Therefore, in countermeasures for lonely deaths in rental properties, it is important to consider both "prevention" to prevent lonely deaths from happening and "post-occurrence response" to prepare for the event that one does occur.

For example, by proceeding with advance identification of special cleaning companies, division of roles with the management company, organization of restoration response, insurance subscription, and confirmation of the flow for dealing with the bereaved family, it becomes easier to reduce confusion and damage when an incident occurs.

At the scene of a lonely death where discovery was delayed, normal house cleaning is often not enough, and specialized deodorization, disinfection, and restoration are required.

Therefore, it is considered important to prepare a response system in advance, rather than "thinking about it after it happens."

As single-person elderly households increase, in rental management, it is not just about vacancy countermeasures and maximizing rental income, but the perspective of risk management—how to prepare for troubles and emergencies—will be required more than ever.

Summary of Survey Results

22.64% of rental owners/managers have experienced a tenant's lonely death, and while 61.2% are anxious, about half (46.4%) have not taken any countermeasures (according to Blue Clean Co., Ltd.).

This survey found that 22.64% of rental owners and managers have experienced a tenant's lonely death in their managed properties.

In addition, 61.2% have felt anxious about a tenant's lonely death, with particular concerns about the impact on their business after the event, such as "room deterioration due to delayed discovery," "special cleaning and restoration costs," "decline in asset value due to disclosure obligations," and "prolonged vacancies."