What to look for in a lease special term
A special term is the part of the lease, sometimes at the end, that sets a cost for that property alone. A heading that says “special term” and a bill line that falls inside that term are different things.
The guidelines’ Q&A points out, as things to check for a restoration special term, whether the tenant’s scope is written concretely and whether it was explained and accepted. It is not a document that declares special terms void. The reference is the guidelines Q&A.
Search for the same words as the bill
Search the lease for the names on the statement: cleaning, keys, wallpaper, tatami, air conditioner. Even if the words do not match exactly, mark the paragraph that points at the same work. For an item you cannot find, ask for the clause number behind the statement that “there is a special term.”
A general sorting of the words is in Ordinary use and restoration, and how they differ. If there is a special term, read the lease before those examples.
Extract subject, scope, and amount
From the paragraph you found, take only this:
- Subject. Which part. The whole room, or a named piece of equipment
- Scope. The whole surface, the dirty part, or a fixed amount
- Amount. A yen figure, actual cost, or a number of months of rent
- Exception. Whether it says ordinary use is excluded
A number of months of rent in the lease is a formula in the contract, not a market price for the work. Building age and rent are separated in Do not judge a move-out bill by age or rent.
Separate what you remember from the papers
If there is an explanation of important matters, or a checkbox beside the term, see whether you signed. A signature is not itself proof that you understood every sentence. It is still a paper they can point to as an explanation. If your memory differs, say specifically what differs.
Compare the term’s amount with this bill
If the term is a fixed amount and the bill is higher, ask for the reason above that amount, line by line. Even if the bill fits inside the fixed amount, ask about a subject that does not match the term’s words. A fixed cleaning amount overlaps How to read a house-cleaning charge. Keys overlap What to check on a key-replacement charge.