[Survey on the Risks of Left-Behind Belongings and the Absence of Guarantors for Elderly Tenants] Approx. 7% of Landlords Have Experienced Guarantors Becoming 'Absent' in Elderly Rentals; Over Half Responded to Unpaid Rent and Belongings Disposal Using 'Alternative Methods'
R65 Co., Ltd. conducted a survey of 1,000 real estate companies and landlords regarding elderly tenants. It revealed that about 7% of landlords experienced the absence of a joint guarantor, causing burdens in disposing of left-behind belongings after death.
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- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 18:40
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R65 Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo, President and CEO: Ryo Yamamoto, hereinafter 'R65 Real Estate'), which specializes in helping people aged 65 and over find apartments, conducted a 'Survey on the Risks of Left-Behind Belongings and the Absence of Joint Guarantors for Elderly Tenants' targeting 1,000 real estate companies and rental property owners (apartments and houses) nationwide.
■ Survey Background
With the progression of aging in Japan, households consisting of single elderly individuals are expected to increase further. On the other hand, in the rental housing field, while the risk of disposing of left-behind items upon a tenant's death may not be obvious at the time of moving in if family members serve as joint guarantors, cases are increasing where the guarantor passes away, separates, or loses contact during the tenancy, resulting in subsequent risks regarding left-behind belongings.
These situations are difficult issues not only for the tenants themselves and their families but also for real estate companies and landlords, requiring different schemes and know-how from those at move-in, such as 'collecting unpaid rent,' 'bearing the cost and procedures for disposing of belongings,' and 'coordinating with heirs and government agencies.' There is still insufficient discussion on when to grasp changes in a joint guarantor's situation and what procedures (e.g., post-death administration mandate contracts or the use of guarantor companies) should be integrated.
To understand the actual situation on the ground, R65 Real Estate, a real estate company engaged in housing support for the elderly, conducted a survey focusing on the 'risks of left-behind belongings and the issue of absent joint guarantors for elderly tenants.'
■ Summary of Survey Results
[Regarding Responses to Belongings Disposal]
Over 30% of owners currently have elderly tenants, and about 1 in 4 of them are 'single elderly without relatives.'
Slightly over 10% have experienced the death of an elderly tenant. In 30% of elderly tenant cases, relatives acting as joint guarantors disposed of belongings. However, landlords/management companies sometimes handle the disposal.
Only a little over 10% of owners have 'previously consulted' about the disposal of left-behind belongings.
[Regarding the Issue of Absent Joint Guarantors]
Guarantors at the time of elderly move-in are 'relatives as joint guarantors' in about 60% of cases, while the use of guarantor companies is about a quarter.
Cases where joint guarantors became 'absent' during the tenancy accounted for 6.7%. Many, including reports from tenants, were discovered after the fact.
In cases where joint guarantors became absent, 'alternative methods' were used in about half of the situations. There are also cases where they are 'in trouble and unable to process.'
Awareness of challenges regarding the absence of joint guarantors is slightly over 30%. On the other hand, over 40% responded 'I don't know,' indicating a variance in awareness.
■ Survey Overview
Date of Survey Implementation: November 27, 2025
Target Audience: Real estate companies and rental owners (apartments and houses) nationwide
Number of Valid Responses: 1,000
Survey Method: Online questionnaire survey
■ Survey Results
[Regarding Responses to Belongings Disposal]
Over 30% of owners currently have elderly tenants, and about 1 in 4 of them are 'single elderly without relatives.'
First, when asked if there are 'elderly people among current tenants,' 32.1% (321 owners) responded 'Yes.' Among them, 27.1% (87 owners) stated they have 'single elderly tenants without relatives,' while 72.9% (234 owners) stated they do not.
Out of the total sample of 1,000 owners, 8.7% answered that 'single elderly people without relatives are currently renting,' indicating that rental housing is functioning to some extent as a 'safety net for single elderly.'
Slightly over 10% have experienced the death of an elderly tenant. While relatives as joint guarantors disposed of belongings in 30% of cases, landlords/management companies also handle disposal.
When asked 'Have you ever had a case where an elderly tenant died during tenancy?', 11.7% (117 owners) responded 'Yes,' while 88.3% (883 owners) responded 'No.'
When those 117 owners were asked, 'How did you handle the disposal of left-behind belongings in the room at the time of death?', the most common response was 'Implemented by relatives acting as joint guarantors' at 32.5% (38 owners). Additionally, it was found that cases where 'Housing support corporations or trustees of post-death administration mandates implemented it' accounted for 8.6% (10 owners), and cases where 'Landlords/management companies disposed of it (including outsourcing to specialized vendors)' accounted for 13.7% (16 owners).
Overall, cases where related parties on the tenant's side, such as 'relatives acting as joint guarantors,' 'heirs,' or 'trustees of post-death administration,' take responsibility for disposing of belongings make up the majority. On the other hand, there are cases where owners and management companies themselves bear the direct burden, such as 'Landlords/management companies disposed of it' or 'Stored because there was no one to handle it.'
■ Survey Background
With the progression of aging in Japan, households consisting of single elderly individuals are expected to increase further. On the other hand, in the rental housing field, while the risk of disposing of left-behind items upon a tenant's death may not be obvious at the time of moving in if family members serve as joint guarantors, cases are increasing where the guarantor passes away, separates, or loses contact during the tenancy, resulting in subsequent risks regarding left-behind belongings.
These situations are difficult issues not only for the tenants themselves and their families but also for real estate companies and landlords, requiring different schemes and know-how from those at move-in, such as 'collecting unpaid rent,' 'bearing the cost and procedures for disposing of belongings,' and 'coordinating with heirs and government agencies.' There is still insufficient discussion on when to grasp changes in a joint guarantor's situation and what procedures (e.g., post-death administration mandate contracts or the use of guarantor companies) should be integrated.
To understand the actual situation on the ground, R65 Real Estate, a real estate company engaged in housing support for the elderly, conducted a survey focusing on the 'risks of left-behind belongings and the issue of absent joint guarantors for elderly tenants.'
■ Summary of Survey Results
[Regarding Responses to Belongings Disposal]
Over 30% of owners currently have elderly tenants, and about 1 in 4 of them are 'single elderly without relatives.'
Slightly over 10% have experienced the death of an elderly tenant. In 30% of elderly tenant cases, relatives acting as joint guarantors disposed of belongings. However, landlords/management companies sometimes handle the disposal.
Only a little over 10% of owners have 'previously consulted' about the disposal of left-behind belongings.
[Regarding the Issue of Absent Joint Guarantors]
Guarantors at the time of elderly move-in are 'relatives as joint guarantors' in about 60% of cases, while the use of guarantor companies is about a quarter.
Cases where joint guarantors became 'absent' during the tenancy accounted for 6.7%. Many, including reports from tenants, were discovered after the fact.
In cases where joint guarantors became absent, 'alternative methods' were used in about half of the situations. There are also cases where they are 'in trouble and unable to process.'
Awareness of challenges regarding the absence of joint guarantors is slightly over 30%. On the other hand, over 40% responded 'I don't know,' indicating a variance in awareness.
■ Survey Overview
Date of Survey Implementation: November 27, 2025
Target Audience: Real estate companies and rental owners (apartments and houses) nationwide
Number of Valid Responses: 1,000
Survey Method: Online questionnaire survey
■ Survey Results
[Regarding Responses to Belongings Disposal]
Over 30% of owners currently have elderly tenants, and about 1 in 4 of them are 'single elderly without relatives.'
First, when asked if there are 'elderly people among current tenants,' 32.1% (321 owners) responded 'Yes.' Among them, 27.1% (87 owners) stated they have 'single elderly tenants without relatives,' while 72.9% (234 owners) stated they do not.
Out of the total sample of 1,000 owners, 8.7% answered that 'single elderly people without relatives are currently renting,' indicating that rental housing is functioning to some extent as a 'safety net for single elderly.'
Slightly over 10% have experienced the death of an elderly tenant. While relatives as joint guarantors disposed of belongings in 30% of cases, landlords/management companies also handle disposal.
When asked 'Have you ever had a case where an elderly tenant died during tenancy?', 11.7% (117 owners) responded 'Yes,' while 88.3% (883 owners) responded 'No.'
When those 117 owners were asked, 'How did you handle the disposal of left-behind belongings in the room at the time of death?', the most common response was 'Implemented by relatives acting as joint guarantors' at 32.5% (38 owners). Additionally, it was found that cases where 'Housing support corporations or trustees of post-death administration mandates implemented it' accounted for 8.6% (10 owners), and cases where 'Landlords/management companies disposed of it (including outsourcing to specialized vendors)' accounted for 13.7% (16 owners).
Overall, cases where related parties on the tenant's side, such as 'relatives acting as joint guarantors,' 'heirs,' or 'trustees of post-death administration,' take responsibility for disposing of belongings make up the majority. On the other hand, there are cases where owners and management companies themselves bear the direct burden, such as 'Landlords/management companies disposed of it' or 'Stored because there was no one to handle it.'