Elderly Rentals Where Guarantors "Disappear," Experienced by Approx. 7% of Landlords. Of These, Over Half Handled Unpaid Rent/Abandoned Property Processing Through "Other Means" [Actual Situation Survey on Abandoned Property Risk for Elderly Residents and Absence of Guarantors]
A survey of 1,000 landlords found that about 7% have experienced situations where guarantors for elderly renters disappear (die, divorce, or become unreachable). In over half of these cases, landlords had to resort to alternative methods for handling unpaid rent and abandoned properties, with some struggling to resolve the issues. The study highlights a significant gap in proactive planning and awareness regarding these risks among property owners.
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- 📰 Published: April 7, 2026 at 18:40
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R65 Real Estate Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President: Ryo Yamamoto, hereinafter "R65 Real Estate"), which specializes in supporting room searches for individuals aged 65 and over, conducted an "Actual Situation Survey on Abandoned Property Risk for Elderly Residents and Absence of Guarantors" targeting 1,000 real estate companies and rental property owners nationwide (apartments, condominiums, detached houses).
■ Survey Background
As Japan's population ages, the number of single elderly households is expected to increase further. On the other hand, in the rental housing market, while risks such as the processing of abandoned properties upon the death of a resident are less likely to materialize when family members act as guarantors upon move-in, there are increasing cases where the guarantor dies, divorces, or becomes unreachable after move-in, leading to abandoned property risks. These situations are difficult not only for the residents and their families but also for real estate companies and landlords, requiring different schemes and expertise than at the time of move-in, such as collecting unpaid rent, covering costs and procedures for abandoned property processing, and coordinating with heirs and administrative bodies. The question of when to identify changes in the guarantor's status and what procedures to incorporate has not yet been sufficiently discussed. As a real estate company dedicated to supporting elderly residents' housing, R65 Real Estate conducted this survey focusing on the "Abandoned Property Risk and Absence of Guarantor Issues for Elderly Residents" to understand the actual on-site situation.
■ Survey Results Summary
[Regarding Abandoned Property Processing]
* Over 30% of owners have elderly current residents, and about 1 in 4 of those have "elderly individuals with no relatives."
* Over 10% have experienced the death of an elderly resident. While family guarantors handle about 30% of abandoned property processing, landlords/management companies also dispose of them.
* Only a little over 10% of owners have "consulted in advance" about abandoned property processing.
[Regarding the Issue of Absent Guarantors]
* For elderly residents moving in, "relatives acting as guarantors" account for about 60%, while the use of guarantee companies is about 25%.
* Cases where guarantors "disappear" during the lease term occur in 6.7%. Many are discovered afterward, including through reports from residents.
* In about half of the cases where guarantors are absent, processing occurs through "other means." There are also cases where landlords are "troubled by their inability to process" them.
* Awareness of the issue of absent guarantors is over 30%. However, over 40% respond with "don't know," indicating varied perceptions.
■ Survey Details
Survey Date: November 27, 2025
Target: 1,000 real estate companies and rental property owners nationwide (apartments, condominiums, detached houses)
Valid Responses: 1,000
Method: Online questionnaire survey
■ Survey Results
[Regarding Abandoned Property Processing]
Over 30% of owners have elderly current residents, and about 1 in 4 of those have "elderly individuals with no relatives."
Regarding whether there have been cases where "elderly residents have died during their tenancy," 11.7% (117 people) responded "yes," and 88.3% (883 people) responded "no."
Of the 117 respondents, when asked "How was the abandoned property in the room processed after death?", "handled by family guarantor" was the most frequent at 32.5% (38 people). Additionally, 8.6% (10 people) were handled by "residents' support organizations or those handling post-death affairs," and 13.7% (16 people) were "disposed of by landlords/management companies (including outsourcing to specialists)."
Overall, cases where "parties related to the resident (family guarantors, heirs, administrators of post-death affairs)" handle the processing account for the majority. However, about 20% of cases where "landlords/management companies dispose of property" or "no one handles it and it's kept in storage" indicate that abandoned property processing is not always smoothly handed over.
Only a Little Over 10% of Owners Have "Consulted in Advance" About Abandoned Property Processing
When asked about the experience of discussing or consulting on methods and procedures for "abandoned property processing" required after a resident's death with the resident, guarantor, management company, support organizations, specialists, or local government officials, 11.7% (117 people) responded "yes," 55.8% (558 people) responded "no," and 32.5% (325 people) responded "don't know."
Regarding abandoned property processing, only a little over 10% of owners have engaged in specific discussions with stakeholders in advance, while over half responded they have "never consulted." With the expected increase in absent guarantors and single elderly individuals, it has become clear that in many sites, the "who handles what, with what procedures, and to what extent" is not sufficiently pre-planned.
---
[Regarding the Issue of Absent Guarantors]
For elderly residents moving in, "relatives acting as guarantors" account for about 60%, and the use of guarantee companies is about 25%.
When asked about the form of guarantor for elderly residents moving in, "relatives acting as guarantors" was the most common at 57.0% (570 people), followed by "rent debt guarantee companies" at 26.0% (260 people).
Cases relying on "relatives as guarantors" account for over half, with the use of guarantee companies only reaching about a quarter. As the number of elderly residents is expected to increase, the structure of depending on family for guarantors has been highlighted.
Cases Where Guarantors "Disappear" During the Lease Term Occur in 6.7%. Many are Discovered Afterward, Including Through Resident Reports.
Of the 570 owners who had relatives as guarantors, when asked if there were cases where "the guarantor died, divorced, or became unreachable during the contract period," 6.7% (38 people) responded "yes," and 81.2% (463 people) responded "no."
Furthermore, of the 38 who responded "yes," when asked "How was it discovered?", "reported by the resident" accounted for 47.4% (18 people), "discovered when contacted upon the resident's death" was 21.1% (8 people), and "discovered at the time of lease renewal" was 28.9% (11 people).
The results suggest that the death, divorce, or becoming unreachable of a guarantor is often discovered retrospectively, such as through "resident reports," "contact upon death," or "confirmation at renewal," with a low possibility of proactive discovery by landlords or management companies.
In About Half of Cases Where Guarantors are Absent, Processing Occurs Through "Other Means." There are also Cases Where Landlords are "Troubled by Their Inability to Process" Them.
Furthermore, when asked if there were cases where "unpaid rent collection and abandoned property processing by the original guarantor could not be carried out, and it was handled by other means" as a result of the guarantor's death, divorce, or becoming unreachable, 55.3% (21 people) responded "yes," and 44.7% (17 people) responded "no."
Specific handling methods included "new personal or corporate guarantee contracts were concluded and handled" (33.3% / 7 people), "processed by finding other heirs" (14.3% / 3 people), "processed through procedures for estate administrators" (38.1% / 8 people), and "troubled by inability to process (storage, etc.)" (14.3% / 3 people).
This indicates that over half of owners and management companies had to deal with unpaid rent and abandoned properties through schemes different from the initially anticipated guarantors. Additionally, a certain number of responses indicated being "troubled by inability to process," suggesting that the absence of guarantors impacts both practical on-site operations and financial aspects.
Awareness of the Issue of Absent Guarantors is Over 30%. However, Over 40% Respond with "Don't Know," Indicating Varied Perceptions.
Regarding situations where a guarantor dies, divorces, or becomes unreachable during an elderly resident's tenancy, when asked "Do you feel there is an issue?", 33.3% (333 people) responded "yes," 25.0% (250 people) responded "no," and 41.7% (417 people) responded "don't know."
While one-third of respondents clearly recognize the issue, over 40% responded "don't know," suggesting that the perception of risk and concrete response policies may not be sufficiently shared.
◎Numerous Specific Concerns and Issues in Free-Response Comments (Excerpts):
* "I don't know how to respond if something happens to the resident."
* "I don't know who to contact."
* "It's difficult to check on the guarantor's well-being."
* "Discovery is delayed, leading to expanded property damage and affecting future rentals."
■ Conclusion
This survey revealed that approximately 30% of rental property owners currently have elderly residents, and about one-quarter of them are "elderly individuals with no relatives." On the other hand, the system for guarantors at the time of move-in still centers around "relatives acting as guarantors," and a certain number of cases occur where these guarantors die, divorce, or become unreachable during the lease term.
In cases of absent guarantors, over half of them had to deal with unpaid rent/abandoned properties using means not initially anticipated, and some cases resulted in being "troubled by inability to process." This highlights that many properties are accepting elderly residents without sufficient schemes for post-move-in operations or mechanisms for updating information.
Furthermore, only a little over 30% of owners clearly recognize the issue of absent guarantors, while over 40% respond "don't know," indicating a situation where on-site risk perception and response know-how are "simply unknown." Considering that only a little over 10% of owners consult in advance about abandoned property processing, it is an urgent issue for government agencies, guarantee companies, and the real estate industry to collaborate, disseminate guidelines and schemes, and establish them.
R65 Real Estate, in addition to visualizing the housing difficulties of the elderly, as revealed in past surveys on "Actual Situation Survey on Housing Difficulties for the Elderly," will address the "issues of absent guarantors and abandoned property risks after move-in" that have become clear. We will work towards creating an environment where landlords, real estate companies, and elderly residents can all continue their contracts with peace of mind by establishing "guarantee and monitoring schemes that make it easier to accept elderly residents," "support for pre-planning abandoned property processing and post-death affairs," and "bridging systems and practices through collaboration with government agencies and related organizations."
■ Company Profile: R65 Co., Ltd.
Japan's aging rate is close to 30%, yet over 65s are becoming "housing refugees," a social problem. With an increase in room searches due to sudden evictions, one in four individuals aged 65 or older has experienced refusal of rental housing. R65 Real Estate, a real estate company specializing in supporting room searches for those 65 and over, aims to solve all risks associated with renting out properties, thereby increasing the availability of rental properties where individuals aged 65 and over can reside, realizing a "society where anyone can live where they like, regardless of age."
Representative: Ryo Yamamoto
Headquarters Location: VORT Akasaka Mitsuke 4F, 3-11-15 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Established: April 7, 2016
URL: https://r65.info/
[Inquiries regarding this matter from the press]
R65 Co., Ltd. Public Relations Department
mail: support@r65.co.jp
tel: 050-3529-8826
■ Survey Background
As Japan's population ages, the number of single elderly households is expected to increase further. On the other hand, in the rental housing market, while risks such as the processing of abandoned properties upon the death of a resident are less likely to materialize when family members act as guarantors upon move-in, there are increasing cases where the guarantor dies, divorces, or becomes unreachable after move-in, leading to abandoned property risks. These situations are difficult not only for the residents and their families but also for real estate companies and landlords, requiring different schemes and expertise than at the time of move-in, such as collecting unpaid rent, covering costs and procedures for abandoned property processing, and coordinating with heirs and administrative bodies. The question of when to identify changes in the guarantor's status and what procedures to incorporate has not yet been sufficiently discussed. As a real estate company dedicated to supporting elderly residents' housing, R65 Real Estate conducted this survey focusing on the "Abandoned Property Risk and Absence of Guarantor Issues for Elderly Residents" to understand the actual on-site situation.
■ Survey Results Summary
[Regarding Abandoned Property Processing]
* Over 30% of owners have elderly current residents, and about 1 in 4 of those have "elderly individuals with no relatives."
* Over 10% have experienced the death of an elderly resident. While family guarantors handle about 30% of abandoned property processing, landlords/management companies also dispose of them.
* Only a little over 10% of owners have "consulted in advance" about abandoned property processing.
[Regarding the Issue of Absent Guarantors]
* For elderly residents moving in, "relatives acting as guarantors" account for about 60%, while the use of guarantee companies is about 25%.
* Cases where guarantors "disappear" during the lease term occur in 6.7%. Many are discovered afterward, including through reports from residents.
* In about half of the cases where guarantors are absent, processing occurs through "other means." There are also cases where landlords are "troubled by their inability to process" them.
* Awareness of the issue of absent guarantors is over 30%. However, over 40% respond with "don't know," indicating varied perceptions.
■ Survey Details
Survey Date: November 27, 2025
Target: 1,000 real estate companies and rental property owners nationwide (apartments, condominiums, detached houses)
Valid Responses: 1,000
Method: Online questionnaire survey
■ Survey Results
[Regarding Abandoned Property Processing]
Over 30% of owners have elderly current residents, and about 1 in 4 of those have "elderly individuals with no relatives."
Regarding whether there have been cases where "elderly residents have died during their tenancy," 11.7% (117 people) responded "yes," and 88.3% (883 people) responded "no."
Of the 117 respondents, when asked "How was the abandoned property in the room processed after death?", "handled by family guarantor" was the most frequent at 32.5% (38 people). Additionally, 8.6% (10 people) were handled by "residents' support organizations or those handling post-death affairs," and 13.7% (16 people) were "disposed of by landlords/management companies (including outsourcing to specialists)."
Overall, cases where "parties related to the resident (family guarantors, heirs, administrators of post-death affairs)" handle the processing account for the majority. However, about 20% of cases where "landlords/management companies dispose of property" or "no one handles it and it's kept in storage" indicate that abandoned property processing is not always smoothly handed over.
Only a Little Over 10% of Owners Have "Consulted in Advance" About Abandoned Property Processing
When asked about the experience of discussing or consulting on methods and procedures for "abandoned property processing" required after a resident's death with the resident, guarantor, management company, support organizations, specialists, or local government officials, 11.7% (117 people) responded "yes," 55.8% (558 people) responded "no," and 32.5% (325 people) responded "don't know."
Regarding abandoned property processing, only a little over 10% of owners have engaged in specific discussions with stakeholders in advance, while over half responded they have "never consulted." With the expected increase in absent guarantors and single elderly individuals, it has become clear that in many sites, the "who handles what, with what procedures, and to what extent" is not sufficiently pre-planned.
---
[Regarding the Issue of Absent Guarantors]
For elderly residents moving in, "relatives acting as guarantors" account for about 60%, and the use of guarantee companies is about 25%.
When asked about the form of guarantor for elderly residents moving in, "relatives acting as guarantors" was the most common at 57.0% (570 people), followed by "rent debt guarantee companies" at 26.0% (260 people).
Cases relying on "relatives as guarantors" account for over half, with the use of guarantee companies only reaching about a quarter. As the number of elderly residents is expected to increase, the structure of depending on family for guarantors has been highlighted.
Cases Where Guarantors "Disappear" During the Lease Term Occur in 6.7%. Many are Discovered Afterward, Including Through Resident Reports.
Of the 570 owners who had relatives as guarantors, when asked if there were cases where "the guarantor died, divorced, or became unreachable during the contract period," 6.7% (38 people) responded "yes," and 81.2% (463 people) responded "no."
Furthermore, of the 38 who responded "yes," when asked "How was it discovered?", "reported by the resident" accounted for 47.4% (18 people), "discovered when contacted upon the resident's death" was 21.1% (8 people), and "discovered at the time of lease renewal" was 28.9% (11 people).
The results suggest that the death, divorce, or becoming unreachable of a guarantor is often discovered retrospectively, such as through "resident reports," "contact upon death," or "confirmation at renewal," with a low possibility of proactive discovery by landlords or management companies.
In About Half of Cases Where Guarantors are Absent, Processing Occurs Through "Other Means." There are also Cases Where Landlords are "Troubled by Their Inability to Process" Them.
Furthermore, when asked if there were cases where "unpaid rent collection and abandoned property processing by the original guarantor could not be carried out, and it was handled by other means" as a result of the guarantor's death, divorce, or becoming unreachable, 55.3% (21 people) responded "yes," and 44.7% (17 people) responded "no."
Specific handling methods included "new personal or corporate guarantee contracts were concluded and handled" (33.3% / 7 people), "processed by finding other heirs" (14.3% / 3 people), "processed through procedures for estate administrators" (38.1% / 8 people), and "troubled by inability to process (storage, etc.)" (14.3% / 3 people).
This indicates that over half of owners and management companies had to deal with unpaid rent and abandoned properties through schemes different from the initially anticipated guarantors. Additionally, a certain number of responses indicated being "troubled by inability to process," suggesting that the absence of guarantors impacts both practical on-site operations and financial aspects.
Awareness of the Issue of Absent Guarantors is Over 30%. However, Over 40% Respond with "Don't Know," Indicating Varied Perceptions.
Regarding situations where a guarantor dies, divorces, or becomes unreachable during an elderly resident's tenancy, when asked "Do you feel there is an issue?", 33.3% (333 people) responded "yes," 25.0% (250 people) responded "no," and 41.7% (417 people) responded "don't know."
While one-third of respondents clearly recognize the issue, over 40% responded "don't know," suggesting that the perception of risk and concrete response policies may not be sufficiently shared.
◎Numerous Specific Concerns and Issues in Free-Response Comments (Excerpts):
* "I don't know how to respond if something happens to the resident."
* "I don't know who to contact."
* "It's difficult to check on the guarantor's well-being."
* "Discovery is delayed, leading to expanded property damage and affecting future rentals."
■ Conclusion
This survey revealed that approximately 30% of rental property owners currently have elderly residents, and about one-quarter of them are "elderly individuals with no relatives." On the other hand, the system for guarantors at the time of move-in still centers around "relatives acting as guarantors," and a certain number of cases occur where these guarantors die, divorce, or become unreachable during the lease term.
In cases of absent guarantors, over half of them had to deal with unpaid rent/abandoned properties using means not initially anticipated, and some cases resulted in being "troubled by inability to process." This highlights that many properties are accepting elderly residents without sufficient schemes for post-move-in operations or mechanisms for updating information.
Furthermore, only a little over 30% of owners clearly recognize the issue of absent guarantors, while over 40% respond "don't know," indicating a situation where on-site risk perception and response know-how are "simply unknown." Considering that only a little over 10% of owners consult in advance about abandoned property processing, it is an urgent issue for government agencies, guarantee companies, and the real estate industry to collaborate, disseminate guidelines and schemes, and establish them.
R65 Real Estate, in addition to visualizing the housing difficulties of the elderly, as revealed in past surveys on "Actual Situation Survey on Housing Difficulties for the Elderly," will address the "issues of absent guarantors and abandoned property risks after move-in" that have become clear. We will work towards creating an environment where landlords, real estate companies, and elderly residents can all continue their contracts with peace of mind by establishing "guarantee and monitoring schemes that make it easier to accept elderly residents," "support for pre-planning abandoned property processing and post-death affairs," and "bridging systems and practices through collaboration with government agencies and related organizations."
■ Company Profile: R65 Co., Ltd.
Japan's aging rate is close to 30%, yet over 65s are becoming "housing refugees," a social problem. With an increase in room searches due to sudden evictions, one in four individuals aged 65 or older has experienced refusal of rental housing. R65 Real Estate, a real estate company specializing in supporting room searches for those 65 and over, aims to solve all risks associated with renting out properties, thereby increasing the availability of rental properties where individuals aged 65 and over can reside, realizing a "society where anyone can live where they like, regardless of age."
Representative: Ryo Yamamoto
Headquarters Location: VORT Akasaka Mitsuke 4F, 3-11-15 Akasaka, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Established: April 7, 2016
URL: https://r65.info/
[Inquiries regarding this matter from the press]
R65 Co., Ltd. Public Relations Department
mail: support@r65.co.jp
tel: 050-3529-8826